True Paths to Power
by Blackrazgriz
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke was knocked into a comatose state by Gaara of the Desert during the Chuunin Exams. As a result, he was unable to meet Uchiha Itachi during the "Search for Tsunade" arc. How does this change of events affect Sasuke's growth? Will he spiral down the depths of darkness? Or will he find resolution in camaraderie?
1. Sasuke's Retrieval

**Chapter 1: Sasuke's Retrieval**

The air was filled with a special sort of tension, which can only be found in the thickest of battle. The plain was small and void of any living creature, despite being surrounded by a forest. A sole man was surrounded by an army of orange-clothed teenagers emanating a strange crimson chakra. Although the odds were far against his favor, he did not seem to flinch with this confrontation.

His long, white hair was carried by the breeze that entered the battlefield. As he moved, his long sleeves were an afterimage to the graceful dance he was performing. The Curse Seal of Earth engraved on his chest was the most unique aspect of this man's appearance. His v-shaped shirt brought his Curse Seal to attention. He wore his seal with pride, a symbol and reminder that he was once useful for his precious master Orochimaru.

The young blond, on the other hand, was very nervous. His shadow clones could do nothing to halt the majestic dance of his abnormal opponent. Left and right, shadow clones were dispelled into smoke, being annihilated by the thrusts of his enemy's mysterious weapons. The boy found it equally odd that the weapons were protruding from his _hands. _His frustrations were increasing as he watched the battle slip from his favor_._ Nevertheless, the boy was intently focused on the battle.

The man continued to move, stabbing clone after clone with his unique weapons. He was not moving in the same reckless pattern as the boy, evident by his unique footwork. He moved in a way that allowed a seamless flow of his weapons from foe to foe, striking down and removing with every step. Eventually, the clearing was filled with smoke, swept away by the eastern breeze that arrived.

A single leaf blew in front of the boy's eyes, obscuring his vision briefly. But the boy had already seen what the man with the curse mark had done. As the smoke departed, only the man stood at the center of the clearing, his emotionless expression staring deep into the eyes of the crimson-cloaked shinobi.

"And then there was one." The man proclaimed. His name is Kimimaro, the most talented ninja of the "Sound Five." Orochimaru was very proud of Kimimaro and his skills, and was looking forward to transferring his consciousness into him. However, Kimimaro was inflicted with a disease that rendered him incapable of moving. What followed were a botched assassination of the Sandaime and the loss of Orochimaru's arms. Kimimaro's sense of worth drained rapidly after his immobility, and he felt guilty that he was no longer of any use for his beloved master. The retrieval of his master's next "vessel" was the only way he could atone for his failure.

'Damn…He's really good…' the teen thought. 'Even with all those shadow clones, not a single blow landed…'

The teenager was Uzumaki Naruto, a shinobi of Konohagakure. His mission is to retrieve the shinobi inside of the casket next to Kimimaro. He vowed to Haruno Sakura, his childhood crush, that he will bring him back to Konohagakure, no matter the cost. He was not about to fall short on that promise.

However, his growing frustrations at the turn of the battle were evident. A cold sweat dropped from his forehead, and Naruto was clenching his fists tightly. His calm whiskers on his cheeks were enlarged and ferocious, like a fox at the climax of his hunt. His eyes, normally blue, were a deep crimson color, and his pupils were slit instead of round. He was clearly angry at the circumstances, but he was infuriated at his inability to even touch his opponent.

Unexpectedly, a dark red smoke was released from inside the casket. Naruto could hear the cracks and tears of the cover of the casket. His heart was racing; he did not know what was happening to his friend.

"It's almost time," Kimimaro said. "The first step of Orochimaru-sama's ambition…"

The casket exploded violently, which made Naruto's heart jump in anxious terror. As the smoke and debris cleared from the explosion, a silhouette was visible to all. Naruto just stared in awe, as his slit pupils returned to a round shape and his iris reverted back to his normal cerulean.

A boy as young as Naruto emerged from the smoke and debris. His long, white hair blended with the receding smoke, but it slowly changed into a dark black. He wore a blue short-sleeve shirt, with a red and white fan etched in the back, the symbol of the mighty Uchiha clan. The right side of his shorts was tightened by bandages, typical of shinobi attire. The appearance of the man that emerged from the casket brought comfort to Naruto's psyche, as he recognized it immediately.

"…Sasuke…" Naruto said in disbelief. He couldn't believe that Sasuke had emerged from the casket unharmed. But that disbelief was quickly overturned by feelings of relief and bliss.

Uchiha Sasuke's head jump slightly, reacting to the voice he heard. He was staring into his hands, wondering about the surge of power he had just felt. He turned his head towards the voice.

"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing with these guys!?" Naruto asked excitedly. "Let's head back! Come on!" He was shaking his fist around in excitement, as he couldn't contain his positive emotions.

"Naruto…?" Sasuke asked. He was confused. The last thing he remembered was being attacked by 4 shinobi. They said he was going to be brought to Orochimaru, but Sasuke was opposed to the idea. There was no way he was going to Orochimaru, even in his pursuit of power. Orochimaru was just too psychotic in Sasuke's opinion, and he was not a viable source of power. In spite of Sasuke's resistance, the 4 shinobi overpowered him in combat, and then everything went black.

Sasuke stared at his hands again. Maybe that is where his sudden surge of power had come from. But he felt…uneasy. Indeed the power was tremendous. But…but he did not get this power on his own. It was not something he earned, and he did not like that.

"Naruto, where are we?" Sasuke asked. "Why are you here? I could have sworn that I was in my home, resting."

"Sasuke…" Naruto said. "Sasuke, these creeps just suddenly kidnapped you! Hokage-sama ordered Shikamaru to bring you back, and he chose me, Neji, Kiba, and Chouji to help him bring you back." He summarized the events that occurred while Sasuke was trapped in the casket.

Sasuke was furious. 'So THAT'S what happened' he could not believe he was bested by a bunch of Orochimaru's misfits. He felt like a pawn, like he was just another part of that psycho's grand scheme. Sure he acquired some power as a result, but Sasuke was not a person to be trampled with.

Kimimaro turned towards Sasuke, astonished. He could not believe that Sasuke was still standing in the plain. Worse still, Sasuke appeared angry at the prospect of being a tool for Orochimaru's ambition. He thought the power of the Curse Seal of Heaven would compel him to immediately seek out Orochimaru, especially with the power boost of the casket's seal. Apparently he was wrong.

Sasuke began to approach Naruto, but he was stopped by Kimimaro.

"You will go to Orochimaru-sama." Kimimaro demanded. "Orochimaru-sama has called you to be a part of his great design, and I will not allow otherwise."

"Piss off, freak." Sasuke replied. He followed his response with a sweep kick, but Kimimaro jumped out of the way. A brief smile appeared in Sasuke's face, eager for the new challenge. Anyway that he can boost his skills he welcomed openly. But he was not about to let Orochimaru do as he pleases.

Kimimaro caught himself with his hands. He returned to his feet, in a battle ready stance. He was going to bring Sasuke back to Orochimaru, he resolved, whether he lived or died.

"Naruto, who's the freak with the ugly dots on his forehead?" Sasuke asked.

"I don't know," answered Naruto. "The asshole came out of nowhere and stole the casket with you from me and Shikamaru. I came over to stop him but man this guy's tough."

"Oh really?" Sasuke replied. Maybe this oddjob was more powerful then he looked. His blood began to rush at the thought of fighting a new and strong opponent. Sasuke took out his hitai-ite, or ninja headband, and wore it on his forehead. A huge smile appeared on Naruto's face after seeing that action.

"Naruto," Sasuke said in a commanding voice. "Do not get in the way. This is my battle now. I will not let any of Orochimaru's freaks think they can have their way with me!" Sasuke was very enthusiastic about testing his newfound power. Even if it was a gift from Orochimaru, it was there and it would be a waste not to use it. He was not going to enter the Curse State, however, knowing the consequences of that action.

Kimimaro got himself ready. He thought back at what Kabuto-sensei, Orochimaru's aide and trusted confidant, said while he was incapacitated: "He possesses a seal with equal power to your Earth Seal." Kabuto had said. "…which is the 'Heaven' seal…Not only that he's got a Kekkei Genkai." Kabuto had warned him about Sasuke's "assets," as Orochimaru would put it to be. "…Hehe…I wonder who is stronger, you or him?"

Kimimaro thought that as well. Now the opportunity had come to test Sasuke's strength. He slowly removed the rest of his weapon from inside his body and pointed it towards Sasuke's position.

"I've heard that you have a Kekkei Genkai, a bloodline limit." Kimimaro said. "Well, I've got one as well, and my Shikotsumyaku has never been defeated. Do you care to try?" He held both of his weapons in his hands, and stared at Sasuke with a fiery determination.

Sasuke only smiled. He wasn't expecting his opponent to have a Kekkei Genkai. He was reminded of his battle with Haku, how difficult it was to assess and defeat the Crystal Ice Mirrors. He also remembered that his battle with Haku awakened his Sharingan. Perhaps, this battle may further enhance his ocular abilities.

"Well well, color me impressed." Sasuke said, removing a kunai from his pockets. "But regardless, your ability doesn't change the fact that you're a freak of nature, and that you've pissed me off."

Even though Sasuke knew now that his opponent had a Kekkei Genkai, he was not about to activate his Sharingan. He needed to know what his opponent's true abilities are before he can use them. Besides, if his opponent was weak, it would have been a waste of chakra.

Sasuke began to dash towards Kimimaro. His new speed utterly surprised him. He balled his left hand into a fist and delivered an arm punch to Kimimaro's ribs. He did not know what hit him.

Kimimaro was flown back, but managed to recover in the air. As he landed, he felt a slight tinge of pain on the left side of his body. He had not expected Sasuke to be so fast, but that punch was equally surprising. If he was not a member of the Kaguya clan, Kimimaro would have surely broken several ribs.

Naruto, on the other hand, had his eyes wide open in astonishment. He knew that Sasuke was never this fast, ever since he was put into a comatose state by Gaara of the Desert in the Chuunin Exams several months ago. He also knew that Sasuke had woken up recently, just after he and Jiraiya had returned to Konohagakure with Tsunade. Maybe Orochimaru really did have a lot of power to offer to Sasuke. Naruto shook his head, trying to get that thought out of his mind. Sasuke would never bend to the whims of Orochimaru, and Naruto knew that.

Sasuke shook his left hand. That punch actually hurt him too. Why were that man's ribs so strong? He then thought about the weapons that protruded out of the man's hands. He was slowly beginning to realize the secrets of the Shikotsumyaku.

"Hey!" Sasuke shouted. "Your Kekkei Genkai…you can enhance the growth and durability of your bones, can you?"

"An excellent observation," Kimimaro admitted. "My Kekkei Genkai allows me to augment the growth of my bones by accessing my body's calcium deposits via chakra. I can expand and contract my bones whenever I desire. As a member of the Kaguya clan, our skeletal structures are unique as well. My bones are more dense then tempered steel. You will not break them easily, at least, not in your state."

Kimimaro's last response was an attempt to persuade Sasuke into entering the Curse State. He hopes that, by entering the Curse State, Sasuke would realize the potential power that Orochimaru-sama was offering.

"No thanks asshole," Sasuke replied. Although these revelations are startling, he was not about to give up and use the Curse State. He was adamant about not falling into the hands of that crazed killer.

Kimimaro repositioned himself into his battle stance. He hurled himself towards Sasuke, tightly wielding dual bone swords. He slashed at Sasuke, but Sasuke was too fast. Sasuke dodge the slash, then followed with a punch to Kimimaro's stomach. Kimimaro jumped out of the way, and then swung his sword at Sasuke's right shoulder. Sasuke spun to avoid the attack, placing him in the perfect position for a roundhouse kick. Kimimaro blocked, but he was reminded of Sasuke's newfound power. The impact of the kick left a bruise on Kimimaro's arm, and the bruise hurt intensely. While Sasuke was recovering from his roundhouse kick, Kimimaro slashed downwards towards Sasuke's head. Sasuke dodged once again, seeing small strands of hair being cut from his head. Sasuke now realized that the bone swords were very sharp, and he had to avoid them at all costs.

Regaining his bearings, Sasuke attempted to stab Kimimaro with his kunai. Kimimaro read through the attack and grabbed Sasuke's arm with his own. He followed up with an elbow to Sasuke's head, launching him towards the ground. Kimimaro then tried to stab Sasuke with his bone sword. Sasuke used his right hand and foot to thrust himself out of the way of the stab. While airborne, Sasuke took some shuriken from his pockets and threw them at Kimimaro, which he deflected with his sword.

"Your taijutsu is impressive," said Kimimaro. "You are putting up much more of a challenge than that orange-clothed idiot."

"Hmph," Sasuke replied, landing safely on the ground ready for more. "If you are comparing me to that loser, you've got a long ways coming."

"HEY!" Naruto screamed angrily. Yet, Naruto was very happy that Sasuke was back to his normal, albeit arrogant, self.

Sasuke threw two more shuriken at Kimimaro, and Kimimaro was ready to deflect them again, but the shuriken curved away from him and landed harmlessly away from his position. When he turned to face Sasuke, he was in the air, tossing another shuriken at Kimimaro's head. He ducked, and the shuriken landed a meter behind Kimimaro.

"Hm," Sasuke muttered, smiling. He was forming hand signs at an alarming rate. "Katon: Fireball Jutsu!" Suddenly, Sasuke released a massive fireball from his mouth that blazed towards Kimimaro. It was slow and easy to dodge, so Kimimaro jumped backwards. However, the giant ball of fire ignited some wires connected to the multiple shuriken in the area. The fires were now racing towards Kimimaro faster than the fireball.

"What?" Kimimaro asked, his eyes widening. He realized all the shuriken were connected with a single thread of flammable wiring, now located all over his position. Quickly, the fires engulfed Kimimaro, and Sasuke landed safely on the ground. Sasuke stared at the blazing mess, but he took out his kunai nonetheless. Underestimating an opponent was the fastest way for a shinobi to die.

Kimimaro spun rapidly to disperse the fires. Sasuke noticed that Kimimaro now had bones protruding all over his body. This must have allowed him to have a larger spinning radius.

"The Dance of the Willow," Said Kimimaro. "With this, I extend multiple bones from my body to be used as weapons. My very movements become deadly as a result. But this is not the last of my dances, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke visibly twitched at the use of the "kun" honorific. He's already had his fill with Sakura and Ino bombarding him with it. He would very much appreciate it if his opponents not pester him in the same way.

"I have no interest in dying from boredom during one of your ballets." Sasuke said mockingly. "I still have my own ambitions to fulfill." Sasuke had a brief flash of his brother, Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke was not going to die before he killed his brother.

"It's time for you to witness another one of my dances, Sasuke-kun," Kimimaro said, retracting the bone swords back into his body. Kimimaro allowed the right side of his shirt to slump over to his arm. Suddenly, one of his bones erupted from his shoulders. Sasuke was disgusted by the sight, but Naruto almost threw up. It certainly was not a pleasant sight to see. Kimimaro removed the bone from his shoulder, which turned out to be another bone sword. This one he wielded with one hand.

"This is the Dance of the Camellia," Kimimaro explained. "This bone is far sharper than the ones I attacked you with earlier. It can slice through air itself." Kimimaro suddenly lifted his right hand and pointed it towards Sasuke. He propelled his fingernails towards Sasuke at high speeds. Sasuke began to run, trying to dodge the nails. 'Man this guy really IS bizarre' Sasuke thought. The barrage of fingernails continued as Sasuke ran, a testament to the Shikotsumyaku's rapid bone growth. The barrage halted, leaving Sasuke to wonder why. But the sun blacked out for an instant, and Sasuke turned his head towards the sky. Kimimaro was descending fast, bone sword in hand. As he fell, Sasuke managed to avoid the downwards thrust, which forced the sword into the ground.

That did not stop Kimimaro. Alternating hands on the handle, Kimimaro backhanded Sasuke. Sasuke flew backwards, sliding violently across the ground upon impact. Once again, Sasuke was impressed with the bone density of the Kaguya clan.

Forcefully removing his sword from the ground, he dashed towards Sasuke. Trying to use the momentum of his dash to further enhance the power of his thrust, he aimed for Sasuke's lower torso. Sasuke sidestepped to dodge the blow, but Kimimaro anticipated the move. Expertly recovering from his momentum, Kimimaro performed a spin attack with a large radius. Sasuke lowered his upper body to the ground and stopped his descent with his hands. He feebly attempted to kick Kimimaro on his ribs, but Kimimaro dodged by backflipping. His kick was an attempt at creating space. Kimimaro was relentless with his attacks, and refused to provide Sasuke with his much need space.

Sasuke recovered with his hands, only to find Kimimaro rushing at him yet again. But Kimimaro was much faster with his thrusts, managing to inflict shallow cuts on Sasuke's face and arms, despite his superior speed. There was no way out of the barrage of thrusts, and Sasuke was completely on the defensive.

'Shit!' Sasuke thought. 'This guy is so much faster than he was when we started fighting! Maybe this is the real power of the dances…If I don't do something quickly; he'll thrash me into a corner!'

This relentless barrage forced Sasuke's cards. He was hoping he did not have to use the Sharingan, considering his newfound speed and power. But the boosts were not enough to overwhelm his opponent. The color of Sasuke's iris changed to a blood-red, with two tomoe orbiting the pupil of both eyes. The instant Sasuke activated the Sharingan time itself seemed to have grounded to a near halt. Kimimaro's blindingly fast thrusts, as perceived by Sasuke, moved at a snail's pace. Sasuke's dodges were now smoother, much to the surprise of Kimimaro.

As Sasuke dodged the repeating thrusts, he noticed that the strikes were irregular and difficult to examine. He couldn't find a pattern, so he had to continue dodging while looking for an opening to reveal itself. That didn't take too long though, much to Sasuke's relief.

Kimimaro now winded his arm farther then his usual quick thrusts. This move would have easily been missed, but Sasuke's Sharingan immediately found the slight fluctuation of attack. The thrust was intended for Sasuke's liver, aimed far lower than the other stabs. As Kimimaro lunged forward, Sasuke dodged and delivered a precise uppercut to Kimimaro's elbow.

Kimimaro dropped the sword harmlessly to the ground, grabbing his arm in agony. Although the Kaguya had rigid bone structures, joints were still susceptible to dislocation. Kimimaro had never felt this sort of pain before, struggling to walk backwards and holding his flaccid arm. Kimimaro looked up to Sasuke and saw the smirk on his face. Sasuke knew it was time to finish the battle, so he back flipped several times to gain some distance from his opponent.

Performing hand signs faster than the eye can read, a massive surge of electric chakra engulfed Sasuke's left hand. The amount of chakra was so intense it covered the radius of Sasuke's body with a lightning aura.

"Chidori!" Sasuke screamed. He dropped his left hand to the ground, supporting it with his right arm. Kimimaro relocated the joint from his elbow, much to his painful displeasure, only to stare in awe at Sasuke's electrical might.

"This battle can't go on any longer," Sasuke announced, with a hint of triumph in his voice. "My Chidori will penetrate through your 'impenetrable' bones, and it will kill you." Sasuke took off, faster than he ever was during the bout.

It was all too fast for Naruto to even comprehend. He could not see what happened and how it occurred. All he could see was a massive blunder on Sasuke's part.

Sasuke prepared to strike at Kimimaro's heart. Kimimaro braced himself, placing his left foot behind him and crossed his arms over his heart. As Sasuke neared Kimimaro's vital organ, he saw a large bone piercing his left arm. The electric chakra dissipated into the air, which was followed by an inhuman shriek of despair.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sasuke screamed in anguish as the bone retracted back into Kimimaro's right knee. He grabbed his left hand, as if his life had depended on it, and dropped to the ground. The pain was truly unbearable. Kimimaro's bone went through both his radius and ulna, fracturing them in the process. Sasuke was only a couple of centimeters from Kimimaro's heart.

"I can't believe that I was forced to use the Dance of the Larch against you," Kimimaro said, panting. Although the pain of the dislocation had lessened, it was still bothering him to move. "I never thought I would be hard-pressed to use my ultimate defense in this battle. Kabuto-sensei was right about you; you are going to be a wonderful vessel for my master."

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. Immediately, Naruto formed 20 shadow clones, and they all meagerly charged at Kimimaro in an attempt to protect his friend. Kimimaro merely stood still, initiating his Dance of the Larch whenever a clone tried to attack him. The reckless and predictable behavior of Naruto's clones only made their demise easier. Naruto's frustrations began to reemerge, recognizing the futility of his clones in this battle.

After disposing the last of the clones, Kimimaro turned towards Naruto. His face was masked with a cold indifference, unusual considering his elbow was dislocated and he was almost killed mere minutes ago.

"Enough with this child's play." Kimimaro said in a slightly irritated tone. "My master desires Sasuke, and this nuisance has squandered valuable time. I shall kill you and bring the vessel to where he truly belongs."

"I won't let that happen!" Naruto screamed. "Even if I can't beat you, I will NEVER allow Orochimaru to make Sasuke his pet!"

"Na…Naruto…" Sasuke said wearily. He struggled to pick himself up to a sitting position. His left arm is completely numb and limp from the bone fracture. He won't be able to battle as efficiently anymore from this point on. He'll have to rely on Naruto if he were to have any chance of turning this battle.

"Why do you care so much about Sasuke-kun?" Kimimaro asked with a curious tone. "Why risk so much to save someone so deposed to the darkness?" Kimimaro can tell from exchanging blows with Sasuke: He had some sort of heinous goal to achieve, and nobody was going to stop him.

"Because Sasuke is…Sasuke is…" Naruto hesitated. He didn't know what Sasuke felt about him, and he worried that his revelation would strain his relationship with Sasuke. He clenched his fists tightly, finding the resolve to finally expose his true feelings for Sasuke.

"Sasuke is my best friend!" Naruto announced fervently. "Everything that we've done together, all of our laughs and all of the pain…all of the progress and all of the hardship…all of it will be lost forever if Sasuke goes with Orochimaru! I won't let Sasuke die! I won't let him fall to the darkness!"

Sasuke was stunned at what Naruto was saying. 'Is that how he really feels about me?' Sasuke thought. 'Do I really mean something to him?' Sasuke has not had these feelings since his family was killed by Itachi. Sasuke and Itachi had an unbreakable bond back then. His brother would happily have given up his life if it meant to protect Sasuke.

That all ended after the Uchiha massacre. Sasuke remembers the intense fear he felt after confronting Itachi, who had just finished killing his parents. Running to escape the fear, he only stumbled upon an avenue filled with corpses. Blood was littered all over the floors, walls, and ceilings of buildings. Hopelessness and despair clouded his mind as Itachi exited his parent's house, blood soaking his clothing. Yet, for some reason his life was spared. Itachi had told him: "_There is no value in killing the likes of you… My foolish brother… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life." _Those words were Sasuke's driving force, his reason for living.

Sasuke took Itachi's words to heart. He vowed that he will kill Itachi and restore the Uchiha clan to its former prime. He closed himself off from everyone else, believing that concepts like "friendship," "camaraderie," and "love," would hinder his pursuit of power.

Yet Sasuke finds himself looking back on his time with Team 7. Naruto was an obnoxious runt, always yelling and screaming, running headfirst into every and all conflicts that befell his team. Sakura was even more annoying, hanging on to every word that he said, and not having the power to defend herself. Hell, even Hatake Kakashi, his sensei, was less reliable than Sakura most of the time. He always came to meetings and missions late, and overindulged himself in reading _Make-Out Paradise_ more often than not. The Sasuke from back then would not have seen Team 7 as the ideal group to grow stronger. But their individual and unique quirks had rubbed off on him.

Kakashi really did care about his students. Sasuke remembered what he told him when they fought against Momochi Zabuza for the first time: _"I won't allow my comrades to die. I'll protect you with my life. Trust me."_ Kakashi would never abandon his friends and teammates, and that meant something to Sasuke.

Sakura was truly loyal to Sasuke. At first, it was aggravating fangirlism that caused her to blindly follow Sasuke around. But she realizes that there is more to Sasuke then the dark, detached loner he portrays himself to be. Even if she is weaker than the entire world, she would always defend Sasuke until the very end. Sasuke has come to respect Sakura's passionate commitment.

Naruto, Sasuke had to admit, was a very powerful ally. His growth was remarkable, and their rivalry always kept him on his toes. He never gave up and he never backed down from a challenge, strictly following his Nindo, his "way of the ninja," to heart. It's even inspired Sasuke to find the courage within him to continue fighting, even against impossible odds like the battle with Zabuza and Orochimaru, where he was hopelessly outclassed. Naruto truly was…truly was the best friend a man can ever have.

Something watery was dripping down Sasuke's cheek. At first, he thought it was sweat. This high-speed battle was wearing him out, and he lost a lot of chakra from that failed Chidori. But this drop of water streaming down his face was coming from his eyes. Was he really shedding tears? Did his teammates really matter to him?

"Sasuke has a home in Konohagakure!" Naruto continued. "People are worried about him. People are waiting for him to return home! He has friends that are willing to risk EVERYTHING so that he doesn't lose all that he worked for! Creeps like Orochimaru don't even know the first thing about Sasuke!"

Sasuke smirked. 'Hmph, I really am weak.' Sasuke thought. 'If I fought Itachi now, I would get killed in an instant.' He found it odd, but he didn't care. Naruto's words struck a chord in Sasuke's isolated heart. He did have people in Konohagakure that liked him for who he is. And right now, his best friend was out there fighting for both of their survival. He needed his help. He started to get off the ground.

"I see that you can still move, Sasuke-kun," Kimimaro said. He was rather impressed with the Uchiha's endurance. He would most definitely make a suitable vessel for his master.

Sasuke twitched in pain. Barely supporting his left arm with his right, Sasuke managed to stand up and look at Kimimaro. His limp arm began to dangle grotesquely, but Sasuke was not about to just forfeit his life. He activated his Sharingan, yet his vision was more clear now than when he was dodging the Dance of the Camellia. He could predict Kimimaro's movements much more accurately, even in his idle stance.

Naruto stared at Sasuke for a brief second. He couldn't tell from the distance, but it appeared that Sasuke had three tomoe orbiting his pupils instead of two.

"Naruto…thank you." Sasuke said, breathing heavily. "Let's kick this freak's ass!"

"Yeah!" Naruto replied. He gathered back together and produced 50 more clones. Naruto is known for not faltering, even if his tactics fail him over and over again. Sasuke reminisced the numerous occasions in which that was the case.

"You never know when to give up, do you?" Kimimaro asked. Although he was battered by his battle with Sasuke, he did not appear to have lost a lot of stamina, and relocating his elbow no longer pained him.

"You're an idiot," Sasuke said. "I am Konoha's top rookie of the year. I can kick your ass even with this limp arm of mine. Naruto over there is Konoha's number 1 hyperactive knucklehead ninja. There is no way in hell that you can beat us together." Deep down inside, Sasuke really wanted to say that.

"SASUKE YOU BASTARD!" screamed all 50 of the Narutos. "I'LL DESTROY YOU WHEN WE GET BACK HOME!"

"I'd like to see you try, loser." Some things never change.

All 50 Narutos simultaneously charged at Kimimaro. He reverted back to his first dance, the Dance of the Willow, and began to gracefully dispel all of the clones.

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted. "Charging at him maybe the only thing you're good at, but it's not going to work this time around! Listen to what I say and let's coordinate an attack together!" Sasuke immediately began analyzing Kimimaro's movements and shouting counter-maneuvers at the Narutos, who proceeded to follow word for word. It was tough, but his new perception made reading Kimimaro very easy. Directing an assault with 50 clones also looked like it could have been Sasuke's forte.

Sasuke's commands were making their mark. Kimimaro was underestimating the Narutos, but as soon as they started listening to Sasuke, their attacks went from unorganized and random to coordinated and exact. Kimimaro was now unable to keep up with the torrent of attacks from the Narutos. His movements were fluid still, and his attacks were accurate. But the Narutos began to land well placed hits. The hits were small for Kimimaro, but they added up very quickly.

Naruto was ecstatic. During this whole battle, he could not damage his nimble foe. But with Sasuke's help, he is pressing Kimimaro to go on the defensive. His morale was rising, and as a result the clones became more daring and ferocious.

With the battle in Naruto's favor, the clones began to gang up on Kimimaro. They jump at him in an attempt to restrain him and prevent him from breathing. They piled up one after another until a massive cluster of clones overwhelmed him. Naruto began to jump for joy, but Sasuke face-palmed with his good hand. This was not a part of his plan, but the advantage turned to their favor so it did not hurt either.

"Enough," shouted a voice from inside the pile of clones. Clones became smoke as Kimimaro rotated swiftly, breaking away from the clone pile easily. "This game grows tiresome."

Kimimaro shifted his strategy now. At first, he went easy on the clone barrage, thinking it would be the same reckless charge that Naruto seemed capable of. But with Sasuke and his Sharingan, the clones began to read his movements. They were actually hitting him, and the attacks started to annoy him. So he decided to go more serious and perform his ballet with two different dances: the Dance of the Willow and the Dance of the Larch.

The clones couldn't touch him now. Not only was he on the offensive with the Dance of the Willow, striking down clones where they stood, but his body naturally lengthened his bones when a clone came close to attacking him. There was no way to actually damage him now.

Naruto became distraught at the shift in the battle. His happiness was short-lived, and now his clones were back to being decimated. With the Kyuubi, the Nine-Tailed Fox demon, sealed inside of him he was in no immediate danger of depleting his chakra reserves. But he grew weary of the stalemate that seemed to drag on.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was thrilled. After getting caught by Kimimaro's ultimate defense, he was determined to break it down using the Sharingan. Now that Kimimaro was taking this battle seriously, he could finally analyze the Dance of the Larch and find effective countermeasures.

Sasuke saw that the retraction and enlarging period of the dance was constant. It took 4 seconds for the bones to extend, and 3 seconds to retract. It was during the retraction period that Naruto could successfully land an attack. But Naruto was too slow, Kimimaro was now in the offensive, and his clones simply did not have the explosive power to do lasting damage, especially against a skeletal structure as fortified as Kimimaro's. If only his injury was not too severe…

Kimimaro's performance was proving too much for the clones. Once again, he eliminated all of the clones in the clearing, leaving only him, Sasuke, and Naruto.

"I will kill you." Kimimaro proclaimed. "I will bring Sasuke-kun back with me to Orochimaru-sama. There will be no more threats." Kimimaro began to perform the Dance of the Camellia. With his sharp blade at hand, he sprinted towards Naruto, fully intent on ending this prolonged battle.

"Shit!" Naruto said. He quickly made a shadow clone and started to form a Rasengan, his signature move. This was a life or death predicament now more than ever. If he wasn't fast enough Kimimaro would surely kill him.

"No, NARUTO!" Sasuke shouted. He cursed his injury. He couldn't do much with one arm, and he was still in a lot of pain, which hindered his speed.

It was too late. Naruto could feel Kimimaro's emotionless eyes close in to his face. He could see the dots in his forehead, characteristic of a member of the Kaguya clan. His Rasengan was not complete and he could not counterattack. 'It's all over' he thought. 'I'm about to die. I couldn't protect Sasuke, my best friend. I wasn't able to keep my promise to Sakura. Guys, I'm sorry…' He shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the inevitable...

* * *

**Hello Everyone! Hoped you enjoyed reading this fanfiction!**

**I have recently been reading Naruto fanfictions like _Team 8, Uzu no Musume, _and _Patriot's Dawn_. I was truly inspired to write my own after reading all of these quality works. So here we are.**

**It was difficult to get a premise going. I wanted the fanfic to be a Sasuke-centered piece, with all the Naruto-centered pieces littered around the internet and what-not. However, I did not want it to be a stuffy "SasuSaku" romance, like most of the Sasuke-centered fanfics in this site. I wanted it to be an adventure, where Sasuke has a chance to have a fa more sophisticated development than canon. But how could I find a divergence point where Sasuke doesn't actually end up all evil and shit?**

**I thought deeply about this, then I thought about Sasuke's growth in the beginning. Like the time he saved Naruto from Haku's attack. And the time he actually valued Sakura's safety over his own when fighting Gaara. That was some great character development. Then he met Itachi and turned evil. That is when I got my idea.**

**"What if Sasuke never met Itachi when Naruto went to find Tsunade?" Suddenly, limitless opportunities presented itself.**

**You see, after his defeat by Itachi, Sasuke was forced to reevaluate his entire time training. He comes to the conclusion that the village simply was not allowing him to progress as fast as he truly desired. That is when he made the decision to seek out Orochimaru for tutelage. At that point, he went from trying to define himself to become pure evil (albeit badass pure evil). From then on, his development just went under the gutter, literally.**

**If he never met Itachi, Sasuke would not have to reevaluate his training. As such, he would be more open to the villagers and their attempts to befriend him. Sasuke had already thought of Naruto as his best friend far before meeting Itachi. So his character now has the potential to develop more and more.**

**Now I have sooooooo many ideas on how to lead this story. This is going to be a long story, as told from the point of view of Sasuke and other characters. There will only be one Original Character, as I don't want my story to be littered with many different OCs. You won't meet the OC though until much, much later in the story.**

**People are going to die. You will get upset. But it's going to be the ride of your life. That being said, I need help with editing and revising. I spent hours proofreading this chapter myself, and I am fairly confident in the results. But I am only one person, and I can't pick up all of the mistakes I make. I also can't tell if certain plot decisions I make are interesting or bland.**

**If you truly like what you saw here in this chapter, please PM me with interest in editing. You get a sneak preview to chapters, and can even help me make decisions about the plot. Of course, you'll have to read 20 pages of work every week and make important edits, but this will help the story grow and progress in the long run.**

**As with my other fanfiction _Conflicting_ _Resolves _this section will be used to answer any and all questions pertaining to this story. If I miss an update, I will notify you on the reason at this section.**

**For now, please relax, rewind, and enjoy the story of Sasuke, as he seeks the True Pathes to Power.**


	2. The Wit of a Prodigy

**Chapter 2: The Wit of a Prodigy**

Notwithstanding the imminence of his death, Naruto could hear a passionate voice screaming in the distance.

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" screamed the voice at the top of his lungs.

"Wha-"Kimimaro was not able to finish his sentence, as his face met with a very brutal flying kick. The kick launched him several meters away from Naruto, and he viciously landed on the ground.

The boy who delivered the kick managed to land gracefully. He immediately recovered into his battle stance, with his legs together and his right arm outstretched forward, inviting his opponents to attack. His opponents would probably hesitate however, given the boy's…unique attire. He wore a tight, green, body length leotard, most likely made from spandex, with weighted, orange leg and arm warmers. His black hair was cut in the shape of bowl, and it shined very brightly. His eyebrows were amazingly thick, and they appeared to have a life of their own. If people did not know better, his eyebrows could probably have been mistaken for caterpillars or silkworms.

"BUSHY BROWS!" Naruto shouted. He was very grateful to the person he called Bushy Brows, who just saved his life. Naruto and Sasuke were not alone now.

Rock Lee had joined the fray.

A look of disbelief was present in Sasuke's face. It was truly lucky that Rock Lee managed to arrive in time to change the tide of battle. He was certain that, after Kimimaro switched strategies, he and Naruto would not stand a chance. His fears were almost realized as he witness Kimimaro rush in for the kill, which was so expertly avoided by Lee's "Dynamic Entry." The name of the attack was most definitely fitting.

Sasuke's look of disbelief changed into a smirk. Now that Lee was here, he can coordinate an attack that took advantage of the timing of Kimimaro's "ultimate defense." Naruto's relentless assault, coupled with Lee's blazing speed and explosive power will crack a hole in that impenetrable fortress.

"Hmph," Sasuke merely said, hiding his relief in a mask of arrogance. "This is nothing that Naruto and I couldn't handle, but your unexpected help is appreciated,"

"You know?" Naruto asked angrily. "Your arrogance could've taken a nosedive too, prick." Sasuke really hasn't changed at all, and that brought a smile to Naruto's face.

"Is that you Sasuke-san?" Lee had asked. "Does that mean that you were successful in your mission Naruto-san?"

A huge grin appeared in Naruto's face. "Yep!" Naruto answered, outstretching his arm and doing a V-sign.

"Congratulations on successful completion of your mission!" Rock Lee exclaimed. "It is truly an incredible feat, considering the improbability of accomplishment with a rushed group of genin such as you."

Naruto giggled a little bit. He still was not used to much praise, considering his subpar treatment by villagers in Konoha.

"No. Your mission has yet to be completed," a cold voice said. Kimimaro was picking himself up from the devastating kick to the face. He wiped a little blood from his mouth, and spat on the floor. Once again, his Kaguya legacy saved him from what could've been an instant kill. "I will not stop until Sasuke-kun is safely within Orochimaru-sama's grasp," Kimimaro resolved. All three of the leaf genin smiled. Naruto snapped his neck left and right, trying to crack it and reinvigorate his body. Sasuke was rotating his right arm counterclockwise, stretching it out and readying it for battle. Lee began to do basic stretches, itching for a fight right after he left his hospital bed.

"It is good that I am going to be fighting such a determined combatant!" Rock Lee said, excitedly. "However, I will have you know that we too will not fail our mission. So one of us will fall today in this battlefield." A calm breeze entered the clearing from the south, taking with it some of the tension from the earlier fight. Kimimaro's long sleeves and white hair was carried with the breeze, like a wind charm in the middle of a cool summer evening. Sasuke's black hair was also carried with the wind, a dark contrast to Kimimaro's light hair and clothing. This battle was not just simply a battle to determine the fate of Sasuke. It was a clash of ideals, with one side staunchly believing in the dreams and desires of his master, and the other burning with the Will of Fire.

"Lee," Sasuke said. "Your taijutsu is impressive, I must admit. However, even with your speed, this guy has a formidable defense that keeps you on your toes. I've fallen victim to his defenses; I can't even move my left hand anymore." He showed Lee his left hand, which just dangled limply in the air. "We can't hold back, so remove any weights that restrict your true speed."

"Is that so?" Lee asked. "As you know, I have just exited the hospital, fully recovered from my fight with Gaara of the Desert. But I cannot truly go all out unless I wish to risk permanent, irreparable damage to my body. I will fight him as hard as I can, but it will not be me at 100% of my strength."

With that said, Lee disengaged the chakra locks of his leg weights. He reached inside his leg warmers to remove the weights, which he promptly dropped to the ground. The impact left a small crater on the ground, which Kimimaro quickly noticed with wide eyes. 'This genin uses training weights? Those look to be around 50 kilograms each! Impressive…'

"Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, but he did not need to say more, as Naruto was making more shadow clones. The shadow clones once again charged at Kimimaro.

"Lee, this man attacks with his bones," Sasuke said, noting how Lee's massive eyebrows shot up from his face. "His defense prevents opponents from getting close to him by enlarging his bones. It takes him 4 seconds to lengthen his bones, and 3 seconds to contract his bones. You need to attack him during the time it takes for him to contract his bones."

"Got it," Lee said, with a nod of affirmation.

"Good." Sasuke said. "Stick to the plan, let's do this!"

Lee rocketed off towards Kimimaro in a speed that dwarfed Sasuke's previous best. While recovering from his Dance of the Larch, Kimimaro barely saw the punch that connected to his lower jaw. 'This boy…he's _faster _than Sasuke-kun…unbelievable!' Kimimaro thought as he was launched fiercely by the power of the punch. All of Naruto clones stopped where they were at to stare at the might of Lee. Even Sasuke was wide-eyed by the explosive power Lee possessed. It was dynamite.

Kimimaro landed violently in the ground, several meters away from Lee and the clones. He certainly was not expecting his new foe to have such power. He had to be weary of Lee otherwise he was in for some intense punishment.

The clones had other plans, however. They all charged, screaming 'banzai' loudly as they reengaged Kimimaro. Kimimaro was annoyed with the clones now. He knew the clones were merely a distraction, to keep his attention away from Lee. But the clones were too much for Kimimaro to handle offensively. The onslaught he was receiving forced him on the defensive. He unconsciously performed Larch as a clone tried to heel drop his back, only to be confronted by Lee and his blazing speed. Within 2 seconds, Lee unleashed a flurry of punches at Kimimaro's torso, which was followed by an upwards crescent kick, which knocked him in the air. The clones capitalized on the opportunity, and jumped high to meet with the descending Kimimaro. Three clones struck Kimimaro's pelvis with their knees, and let gravity carry them straight towards the ground for additional damage.

As Kimimaro rose from the attacks he just received, he saw Lee remove a bottle of Sake from his pouch. He was very confused now. Despite Lee's incredible speed and strength, why was he drinking alcohol in the middle of battle?

"Please allow me a moment of respite." Lee said. "I was just recently released from the hospital, and I must periodically take my medications." Lee was so oblivious about what exactly he was holding. He was in such a rush to leave and assist Naruto and the others he did not even bother to appropriately distinguish his medicine from all the other items on the table. As a result, he snatched Tsunade's potent sake instead.

"I can understand but…" Kimimaro said hesitantly. In spite of his undying loyalty to Orochimaru, he was a man of honor and would not let anything hinder his opponent's abilities. Unless, as in the case of Sasuke, he was the one who disabled his opponent. "…Why would you drink sake as your medicine?"

It was too late. Lee drank the entire bottle and dropped it to the ground. He always hated the bitter taste of most medicines, but why was this particular one burning his throat? He was losing himself. Everything he was seeing became a blur. He was struggling to stand up straight, swerving left and right just to keep his balance. But even that was of no use, as he kept tripping on himself due to his lack of coordination.

"…this is not happening, is this Sasuke?" Naruto lamented. They had Kimimaro on the edge, just to stop that momentum so that Lee could take his meds. Sasuke and Naruto were flabbergasted with this occurrence, even more so than when Kimimaro demonstrated the Dance of the Camellia for the first time.

Lee finally took focus on Kimimaro. He wasn't able to see him properly, but based on his limited perception at the moment, he could tell that he was not friendly.

"Wuzz yuh looggin' ash?" Lee stumbled, trying to speak properly. Apparently the alcohol content in the sake was very high for Lee to get drunk this fast. Or maybe Lee just had terrible tolerance towards alcohol? "Arre yush talggin' 'bout me momma?" At this point, Sasuke and Naruto face palmed simultaneously. Lee was obviously delirious now, and their ace in the hole just vanished.

"No, I never even mentioned yo-" started Kimimaro, but he was interrupted by a backhand to the face. Kimimaro stumbled backwards to see what hit him. Lee was now swerving even more left and right, but he kept moving his torso up and down just to try from falling over in humiliation. His stance seemed to be similar to that of a mantis, but he was just too unstable to know for certain.

"Ish hearz tha tey bee gibbin' a sale don at Walmarsh for pantyhozz," Lee said, shaking his head to rebalance himself. Everyone stared at Lee now, including Kimimaro, just trying to understand the gibberish of his incoherent statement.

Kimimaro rushed towards Lee to deliver a diagonal slash aimed at his torso. Lee dodged by tripping on himself and landing on his butt, much to the surprise of Kimimaro. He followed up his dodge by vomiting on Kimimaro's shirt, to the glum displeasure of Kimimaro. Kimimaro attempted to stab Lee from his sitting position, but Lee rolled over on all four limbs facing away from the bone user. He then proceeded to release more bodily fluids by vomiting on the floor.

Naruto and Sasuke had dumbfounded looks on their faces. Never in their lives have they witnessed such an unconventional fight. Never had they actually seen such an unconventional fight work so well against an opponent of a much higher caliber. Never would they be willing to fight Lee in his drunken state, if they actually cared about keeping their clothes clean from vomit.

Lee got on his knees and kicked Kimimaro on the thighs. Kimimaro could not comprehend the form of Lee's attack. He was just too unpredictable, and he could not read Lee's movements in the slightest. Lee boosted himself with his hands and gave a flurry of aerial kicks. Kimimaro blocked with his forearms and was about to perform the Dance of the Larch, but Lee had already landed on the ground in a split. He balled his hands tightly and delivered a devastating back fist at Kimimaro's groin area.

"WATAAAAAAAAH!" Lee screamed as if he was a professional martial artist. Kimimaro held on to his testes as if his life depended on it, since it hurt excruciatingly. Naruto and Sasuke subconsciously held on to theirs too, desiring to have children in the future after all.

Lee got on his back and used his hands to rotate his legs around. Though Kimimaro was still hazy from the punch to the groin area, he managed to dodge Lee's rotating kicks. Lee continued to rotate his back using his hands trying to kick Kimimaro in a manner similar to a propeller. Kimimaro merely dodged all these attempts with back jumps when Lee stopped rotating his back and got on his hands. He boosted himself into the air and began spinning in a fetal position. Kimimaro tried to dodge this strange maneuver, but Lee safely went over his head. Or it would seem that way, as he stopped spinning to smash the top of Kimimaro with a hard ax kick.

Kimimaro was dizzy after that kick. He couldn't use his Dance of the Larch because Lee's attacks were too unpredictable in nature for his body to consciously counterattack. What's more, his foe's swerving stance and random trips prevented Kimimaro from landing a single blow. Other than Sasuke and his occasional spars with his master, this new, drunk enemy was the hardest opponent he had ever fought. He could no longer hold back.

Lee's vision was returning to him. He could see more clearly now than the blurs from several minutes ago. He was also more stable now, and stopped swerving all over the place. He did not know what happened to him in the last several minutes and he absolutely forgot where he was. Looking around to get a feel for the plain that he was in, he noticed that Sasuke and Naruto were there, with dumbfounded looks on their faces. Their jaws were opened so wide it would not be an overstatement to say that it reached the floor.

"Naruto-san!" Lee said happily. "I see that you have retrieved Sasuke-san successfully. Well done!"

Naruto just shook his head, thinking that this was all a dream. He made a mental note that, when he turns of legal age to begin drinking alcohol, he would NOT invite Lee.

"It appears that you've sobered up," Kimimaro said, finally snapping out of the daze he was in. "I must admit you fought admirably, despite your…odd…attacks." He was still sore about the vomit stain on his shirt, and the stench it oozed out. "However, it's about time I unleashed my full power." Black markings began to engulf his entire body. All of the combatants got on the defensive including Sasuke, despite his limp arm.

The black markings encased him completely. His eyes had a dark tone to them now, and the white of his eyes changed to black. His iris altered to an ivory color that contrasts his new dark eyes. Massive, curved bones protruded from his back, giving Kimimaro a more menacing appearance.

Even though Naruto was wide-eyed from the transformation, he could not help himself from reminiscing his childhood. He was quite fond of a particular manga. In the manga, the protagonists tend to just watch in awe as their adversaries transformed right in front of them. No matter how often it occurred in the manga, the heroes just seemed to never attempt to stop the transformations from happening, despite the obvious consequences of a power boosted enemy. 'What was the name of that manga again' Naruto thought, crossing his arms in deep contemplation. 'Was it Lizard Sphere S? I could've sworn that the main character was a Monkey King…maybe I should reread it when I-'

A tail violently erupted from the bottom of Kimimaro's back, snapping Naruto out of his contemplation. Jagged, sharp bones protruded from Kimimaro's spinal area all the way to the tip of his new tail, completing his transformation. Kimimaro stood straight, taking his time to clench and unclench his fists, feeling for his transformation. His tail smashed left and right at the ground, giving off a feral appearance. 'I don't have much time left. If I don't hurry and end this battle I'll…' Kimimaro thought hesitantly.

"Sasuke-kun, this is the kind of power that Orochimaru-sama is offering. Are you still willing to deny his most generous gift?" Kimimaro said, still swinging his tail in apprehension.

'This chakra is so dense and intense I could feel it without my Sharingan!' Sasuke thought. 'If I can activate my Curse Seal in the same way this freak can, will I have access to this power? I'm sure with this much power I can get closer to killing Itachi…'

_"Sasuke is my best friend!"_

Sasuke suddenly thought back about what Naruto just earnestly said earlier. _"Everything that we've done together, all of our laughs and all of the pain…all of the progress and all of the hardship…all of it will be lost forever if Sasuke goes with Orochimaru! I won't let Sasuke die! I won't let him fall to the darkness!" _Would he really abandon his best friend for a blind and hate-filled pursuit of power? Is that what it really means to be strong?

Yet, if he can beat Kimimaro without relying on the power of the Curse Seal, then he will eventually become more powerful than what the Curse Seal, and Orochimaru by extension, can offer. He can only rely on his own strength to beat Itachi, and he will obtain it his own way. That is Sasuke's resolution, and he will not back down now.

"Heh," Sasuke scoffed. "You know, your offer is _so good_ and all, but I'd rather not look like deceased body of a lizard on steroids. Lee, Naruto, stick to the plan. We're gonna take this overgrown dinosaur down!" Lee and Naruto both nodded in agreement as they prepared to resume their assault.

"You'll learn to appreciate the offers that Orochimaru-sama gives," Kimimaro said. He bent over to show his back to all three combatants. There was a large gaping hole in the center, where his spine would be at. Suddenly, his body began to eject his spinal cord, which Kimimaro pulled out with his right hand. "In this form, I do not have access to the previous three dances that I graced you with. However, my Dance of the Clematis will be more than sufficient to end your lives."

"How many dances does this ballerina have?" Naruto asked enraged. He was seriously tired of the bone freak pulling out dance after dance from what apparently seems to be his ass. He produced another 50 clones ready to fight a battle of attrition.

The clones charged recklessly at Kimimaro. However, Kimimaro's new weapon was a bone whip that extends far past its original length. This weapon gives him ranges unprecedented compared to the rest of his attacks, save for his Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets. With a single snap of the whip, the first wave of Naruto clones was dispelled immediately. He continued to swing his whip at all the Naruto clones, dispelling them one after the other until the field became foggy with the smoke of clones. It proved to be a good distraction however, as Lee managed to flank him from behind. He kicked Kimimaro's ribs, but to no avail. Kimimaro did not even flinch, despite Lee giving everything he had on that one kick.

"Is that the best you can do?" Kimimaro said with disdain in his voice. He smashed Lee's own ribs using his massive tail, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"GAHHH!" Lee screamed holding his ribs. Not only did Kimimaro have his whip to defend against frontal assaults, but his back was well protected by his large tail. A two pronged attack would not do well at this situation. Too make matters worse, the bones on Kimimaro's left arm began to burst out and spiral into one another, forming another larger bone. This bone was enormous, far larger than any bone that he produced in this entire battle. And he was aiming it towards Lee's head.

"Now die!" Kimimaro shouted, thrusting the gargantuan bone with all of his might. In a blur, Sasuke used his good arm to grab Lee and move him to safety. The force of the impact of Kimimaro's bone arm was tremendous however, creating a mini-fissure that rocked the ground Sasuke was running on. Sasuke was not able to hold his own, and he tripped with him and Lee rolling on the ground.

Kimimaro turned towards Lee with his whip in hand. "I will not allow you to interfere with Orochimaru-sama's ambition any longer!" He screamed with the whip in the air.

"Rasengan!" Naruto suddenly shouted as he attacked Kimimaro with a small sphere of condensed, spiraling chakra. The Rasengan was enough to push Kimimaro away from both Lee and Sasuke, but it did little damage. Kimimaro held his own on the ground, skidding only a little after being attacked, but he showed no sign of being seriously injured by the Rasengan.

"You're beginning to annoy me you blonde brat," Kimimaro said spitefully.

'What is this guy made of?' Sasuke thought. 'Lee's kick didn't even budge him. Naruto's attack looked like it would have killed a herd of bulls but he took it head on without receiving much damage…It's like he can take an explosive tag to the face and laugh it off…'

Things were beginning to look worse for the three Leaf genin. Their attacks were now ineffective against the skin of Kimimaro, and he could defend anywhere from all types of attacks. The only attack that could probably get through Kimimaro's indomitable skin was Sasuke's Chidori, but his left arm is badly damaged and limp from the Dance of the Larch.

"Lee, are you alright?" Naruto asked. He was panting, rapidly depleting his chakra in this prolonged battle.

"I am fine Naruto." Lee responded. "That tail whip did not break any of my bones, but I am still feeling pain from the attack."

"How are we gonna attack this dude if he can take a full-on Rasengan to the face?" Naruto asked. The Rasengan was his best attack, and if an enemy could take one and still move, he does not have any other options.

Sasuke was deep in thought. He knows that his Chidori is the only attack now that can actually harm Kimimaro, but how is he going to get to Kimimaro? He could do it with right hand, but it would be severely weakened without the support of his left arm. Plus, Chidori was a close range attack. With Kimimaro's whip and tail, he would be hard pressed to get anywhere near the guy.

"I assume that we have no other options," Lee said.

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Naruto said, confused.

"If we are to defeat this guy, then I must open the Celestial Gates." Lee answered.

"But you can't!" Sasuke said, surprising both Lee and Naruto. Sasuke isn't the kind of person that shows concern for anyone. Even in his team, he shows concern only when circumstances are too dire. "Lee, if you open the Celestial Gates, your body is just gonna be brutalized! You may be up and running right now, but if you use the gates, you may never recover again!"

"That is a risk I am willing to take." Lee said with affirmation. "Our mission is to get you safely to Konoha. If Naruto is fighting hard to protect you from Orochimaru, then I will fight hard as well. We are shinobi of the Konoha, and we never abandon each other."

"After all, those who break the rules are trash," Naruto began, reciting a quote from Kakashi. "…but those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash. Lee, I believe in you. Go out there and show him what you're made off!" Naruto raised his fist in the air as a show of support.

"Fine." Sasuke finally said, giving into what his fellow shinobi just said. "But don't overdo it. I still want my rematch, ya know."

"Sasuke-san…" Lee said. "Got it! I will not hold back"

Lee began to gather chakra. He crossed his arms over his chest and widened his legs as the intensity of his pressure increased.

"First Gate…Gate of Opening…OPEN!" Lee shouted, emitting a huge amount of force that even Kimimaro felt from his distance.

Lee jolted towards Kimimaro in such an unbelievable speed. Kimimaro attempted to snap his whip at Lee in retaliation, but Lee was travelling so fast that he left afterimages that disguised his position.

'How can he move this fast?' Kimimaro thought in frustration. 'He already was fast as it is, but to exceed your speed by leaps and bounds…it's astonishing!' Lee finally appeared right below Kimimaro. Using his right leg and arm as support, Lee attempted to kick Kimimaro in the chin and launch him into the air for his "Primary Lotus" attack. But his kick didn't even lift Kimimaro. He stood in his position and took a full powered kick to his chin…and did not even move an inch.

'What is this guy…' Lee thought before being back-handed. His body was tossed violently on the ground, and Lee barely had time to avoid a jumping thrust by Kimimaro's bone arm. Lee tried to leg sweep Kimimaro to no avail. No matter what Lee did, none of his attacks even remotely hurt Kimimaro. Kimimaro used his tail to harshly smack Lee in the direction of Naruto. Naruto made a clone to try to break Lee's trajectory, but Lee was still injured by his landing.

"This guy is incredible!" Lee said in excitement. "A worthy challenger indeed. I must open another gate."

"No Lee!" Sasuke shouted. "I'm not gonna risk you being permanently damaged just to match this asshole. The Initial Gate is the only one you need."

"But what are we gonna do Sasuke?" Naruto asked in desperation. He may be gutsy, but fighting an opponent where all attacks were void was something he has never done before. Even Gaara with his absolute sand defense could bleed with a well-placed fist.

"Let me think…" Sasuke said reluctantly. "He has to have a weakness, I know it!"

'So apparently no physical attack can damage the skin of Kimimaro' Sasuke thought. Opening the Eight Celestial Gates augments the speed and power of the beholder by incredible amounts. But despite this massive increase, it could not even scratch Kimimaro. The Curse Seal took Kimimaro's natural defenses and heightened them to unimaginable scales. 'However, he can still be damaged by chakra based attacks.' This is evident by Naruto's successful, but futile, attempt to smash a Rasengan to his chest. 'Naruto's attack is explosive. It does a large amount of damage by expanding the force against the enemy and damage is dispersed unevenly. But this won't work against Kimimaro…'

"Now can you all see the futility of your actions?" Kimimaro mocked. "You will all die here, your pathetic Konoha ideals forgotten with the wind." He rushed at the three genin, but was intercepted by Lee, who would not give up even with the insurmountable odds.

'My Chidori is penetrating in comparison.' Sasuke thought 'It's the most likely to succeed against the freak's defenses. But my left arm is out of commission, my right arm isn't accustomed to Chidori, and he has incredible range with that whip of his. I can't get close.' Just as he finished that thought, Lee landed right next to Sasuke. He was bleeding through the nose from taking the blunt side of Kimimaro's bone arm to his face. Naruto immediately produced 30 more clones to try to surround Kimimaro.

"Hey Sasuke, how long do you have left?" Naruto asked. "Cuz at this rate, we are all gonna be killed in a couple of minutes!"

"I'm almost at a solution, just hold on for a little while longer!" Sasuke screamed. 'If only Chidori was a ranged attack…' Sasuke lamented. He was certain that if it was a ranged attack, he could pierce Kimimaro's bones. Just then, Sasuke caught sight of his kunai, lodged straight up in the ground. The idea hit him immediately.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed. "Can you still do more of your chakra attacks?"

"You mean the Rasengan?" Naruto asked. "Yeah, but I'm starting to run low." Naruto's chakra supply was massive. It is far larger than any normal jounin. Coupled with the fact that he is the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, he had reserves that can last him several weeks of fighting. But he used the Shadow Clone Jutsu far too many times in this battle, which requires vast amounts of chakra to activate. He was gradually running low.

"Alright, when I give the cue, attack his feet." Sasuke commanded, much to the confusion of Naruto. Sasuke noticed the look of confusion on Naruto's face. "Just trust me okay, it's vital to my plan. Lee, can you still move?"

"I *huff huff* can still go…" Lee said, exhausted from the opening of the Celestial Gates. Sasuke knew that Lee was spent out after his failed attacks. But Lee needs to distract Kimimaro for this to work.

"Lee, hold him off for 2 minutes." Sasuke said. "I need time to use my Chidori."

"With one arm?" Naruto questioned. "That's insane!"

"I don't know if I can do it," Sasuke responded. "But I can try, right? Haku did it back in the Land of Waves, I'm sure I can do it too. Besides, if I can't do it, you guys die and I'm subject to that snakes desires. I'll be damned if I let him get anywhere near me again! Now, let's get to work!" Lee and Naruto nodded in agreement and proceeded with the plan. Lee engaged in distracting Kimimaro, who made short work of the clones a little while ago, while Naruto worked on another Rasengan.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he can pull off the signs with one hand. Haku did it expertly when they fought back in the Land of Waves. Right now, Sasuke is stronger and faster than Haku ever was, so it was worth a shot. He became intensely focused on his right hand, pouring all of his chakra as he performed the three signs for Chidori. Fortunately, to the relief of Sasuke, his hand emitted an awe inspiring amount of electric chakra, though to a lesser extent then when he first used Chidori.

'Now to supercharge that kunai.' Sasuke thought as he reached for the lodged ninja tool. Metal conducts electricity, so If Sasuke was right, he can transfer all of Chidori's power onto the kunai. The kunai gained a blue, cackling electric aura. It now contained the same penetrating power that the original Chidori had. 'Perfect! Let's get started!' He activated his Sharingan and ran towards Kimimaro, Chidori-enhanced kunai in hand.

Kimimaro saw through Lee's attempted feint and swung his tail at him in full force. He was hurled back viciously, and could not land safely. Lee blacked out after that attack, completely exhausted from the use of the gates. However, Lee's distraction was more than enough to allow Sasuke to enter inside Kimimaro's defenses. Leaping into the air, Sasuke put all of his force into an ax kick that Kimimaro blocked easily with his bone arm. As Sasuke struggled to put more effort into the kick, he managed to make eye contact with Kimimaro, who was also struggling to push Sasuke back. At that moment, Sasuke used his other foot to boost out of Kimimaro's bone arm.

"NOW NARUTO!" Sasuke screamed at the top of his lungs. It was all or nothing.

"RAAHHH!" Naruto shouted as he tried to attack Kimimaro's feet with his Rasengan. Kimimaro saw Naruto coming though and jumped high and backwards to escape the ball of condensed chakra. The Rasengan smashed through the ground, sending debris everywhere, but the attack missed altogether. "NO!" Naruto couldn't believe that he was unable to hit Kimimaro. It was all over for him.

Sasuke merely smirked. After landing from his boost, he rapidly spun around to face Kimimaro and threw the electric kunai at Kimimaro.

There was not enough time for Kimimaro to dodge in midair. He placed his thick bone arm in front of his body to minimize the damage. But the kunai just effortlessly sunk through the massive bone.

"Orochimaru-sama…" Kimimaro said, knowing his ultimate fate. It penetrated his bone arm and his normal arm and it pierced through his chest and rib cage to strike his heart. It didn't stop there. It slashed through the other end of the rib cage, and exited out of his back, slashing through one of his back bones in the process. Only gravity halted its deadly trajectory, bringing it straight to the ground. Falling at exactly the same moment was Kimimaro corpse, gushing blood out of the exit wound as it landed on the ground.

* * *

_Undisclosed Location, Land of Sounds_

The hideout was in a horrendous aesthetic condition. The roof tiles were cracked and dysfunctional, and the walls had layers of chipped paint. There was no active effort to maintain the vicinity, but Orochimaru simply was not the kind of man who cared for such trivialities. His goals and desires were far more important than the kind of impression he wants to leave on people. The only thing people needed to know about the snake was that he was bloodthirsty, and that you should not even attempt to trifle with him.

Inside the hideout, the lack of maintenance was even more apparent, with mold all over the walls, cracked and irreparable walls, and floor tiles that were missing in all the rooms. The room located in the center of the building was worse off. It was the site of a large battle royale, and corpses filled the floor left and right. The blood has gone unwashed from the walls and ceiling for several hours, and a grotesque stench radiated from the room, disturbing the olfactory senses of all the prisoners and test subjects. Of course, this was intentional. The blood and the stench is to remind all captives of whom exactly has their lives in the palm of his hands.

The stench would never reach Orochimaru's private chambers, however. A fully functioning air filter system sees to that. Although Orochimaru does not care much for the materialistic standards of normal men, he does have other standards. He does not want to smell anything disgusting while he sleeps.

In his chambers, a man wearing a dark robe and bandages covering his face was sitting and staring at a lit candle. Sasuke was not able to arrive in time for him to successfully transfer his consciousness to the new vessel, so he had to settle for someone else. He had recently just awaken, the strain of the transfer knocking him unconscious for a while. But some of Orochimaru's former features were now apparent in his new body. His uncovered eye glowed with a strange golden radiance. It was countered by his menacing slit pupils, reminiscent of a snake stalking its prey. His hair was short and light, unlike his smooth, straight black hair. But once he is fully assimilated into the new vessel, he will regain all his defining features.

He was apprehensive. Impatiently, he tapped on the handle of his chair with his finger, waiting to hear news of Sasuke's capture. The Sound Four had taken far too long in retrieving his vessel, so Kimimaro was forced out of his immobile state to rectify the situation. But even then, Sasuke was taking an unusually long time to come back. Orochimaru simply does not like to be kept waiting.

The door to his room was opened slowly. The man who entered had a look of disappointment in his face. He wore glasses with circular lenses, and had silver hair tied to a ponytail. His shirt was black and sleeveless, with a white t-shirt directly under it. He wore a dark pants, with bandages tightening his right thigh.

"Kabuto..." Orochimaru said to the man who had just entered the room. "Was Kimimaro successful in retrieving Sasuke-kun?"

Kabuto looked down towards the floor. He knew the answer and he knew his master would not want to hear it.

"Orochimaru-sama…" Kabuto started, but he trailed off at the last sound of his master's name. Finally, he clenched his fist in resolution and decided to be the bearer bad news. "Orochimaru-sama, Kimimaro was killed in action by Sasuke and some other Konoha genin."

Orochimaru slammed his fist on the handle of the chair, flinching Kabuto. Kabuto knew that Orochimaru was always calm and composed, but he has not seen him so agitated since the failed attempt to destroy Konohagakure. Orochimaru had risked so much in the kidnapping of Sasuke from the village. He sent his elite Sound Four team to clean up the job, but that did not turn up as well as he expected. Now Kimimaro, his most reliable soldier has fallen in combat.

"Sasuke-kun still rejects the power of the Curse Seal?" Orochimaru asked. He was breathing heavily to calm down and reevaluate the predicament. "I had assumed that his hatred for Itachi would compel him to seek me out…"

"It seems to be that the village has softened Sasuke's desire for revenge." Kabuto stated. "During the battle, Uzumaki Naruto announced that Sasuke was his 'best friend' changing Sasuke's opinion about his pursuit of power. Sasuke has let Naruto smooth his way into his life, and that in turn changed his thinking."

"The Kyuubi brat…" Orochimaru snarled with hate in his tone. "I should have killed him in the Forest of Death. He keeps interfering with my plans…"

"No one could have expected anything from the Kyuubi, Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto replied. "He was an unforeseen factor in the grand scheme of things. Even my Ninja Info Cards were off about his skills and capabilities."

Orochimaru thought back on this. For the longest, he was underestimating Naruto. Toying with him, sealing him off instead of killing him, he never took the boy seriously. Based on hindsight, that may have been his greatest blunder in the last couple of years. No, now Orochimaru has to take the Kyuubi jinchuuriki seriously. He has to be a major component in his plans. There must be contingencies if the possibility of his interference should be likely. He won't allow his mistakes to be repeated.

"There's more Orochimaru-sama," Kabuto continued. "Tayuya, Sakon, and Ukon have all been killed by genin of Sunagakure."

That news did not move him as much as the death of Kimimaro and the failure to bring Sasuke to Otogakure. The Sound Four was a wreck without the guiding hand of Kimimaro. Their blunders were due to unfortunate circumstances revolving Kimimaro's hospitalization. Individually, they did not have the group dynamic to function efficiently. They all had undesirable personality traits that made teamwork out of the question. Hindsight once again dictated that Orochimaru acted in haste when retrieving the vessel. Now his greatest fighting force was decimated and Otogakure's power diminished.

"So it seems…" Orochimaru said in deep thought. "This has been a most unfortunate turn of events hasn't it Kabuto?" Orochimaru has mostly calmed down from the bad news, but he was still uptight about the effects it would bring to him and Otogakure.

"Indeed."

"With the death of Kimimaro and the Sound Four, we can't possible hope to be active in the coming years. We need to reorganize and retrain potential for a new Sound Five." Orochimaru did not like the prospect of such an idea, but they had no other option. Although Orochimaru was immensely powerful himself, he was not able to realize all of his goals alone. He has to be patient should he desire to succeed.

"Should we use test subjects for the new Sound Five?" Kabuto asked.

"Yes. Test them all out in pitch battle. The survivors will be engaged in a non-lethal battle royale to determine which among them is fitting for the role of leader."

"At once, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto said, about to make his exit.

"One more thing Kabuto," Orochimaru suddenly said. "The leader of the new Sound Five…do not give them the Curse Seal."

"Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto said, expressing surprise at Orochimaru's sudden order.

"The Curse Seal gives such incredible power to the wielder, and places an indomitable loyalty of the subject to me," Orochimaru explained. "But, as in the case of Sasuke-kun, it does not work all the time. Also, the leader must be level-headed to make important calls for the group. The Curse Seal does such terrible things to the mind, don't you agree?"

"Indeed it does, Orochimaru-sama." Responded Kabuto. Subjects of the Curse Seal tend to display negative personality traits, such as arrogance, bloodthirsty behaviors, superiority complexes, and others. Orochimaru cannot afford his new leader to be misguided by such traits.

"I will personally train the new leader. He will be grateful towards my…generosity…he will learn obedience, like a dog."

"As you command, master." Kabuto said with a smile. He promptly left the room to gather the prospects.

Orochimaru shifted positions on his chair for more comfort. The thought of such a challenging prey now obsessed his every thought. "Sasuke-kun…you may have escaped my grasp…but you will be mine." Orochimaru licked his lips as if sating his appetite. "I will allow you to grow stronger. All the more so that when the time comes, I can be entertained by the hunt. So run off and hide, little mouse. I will find you." A heinous chuckling could be heard from Orochimaru's room as the candle burnt out, fading everything into black.

* * *

_Plain, Near Land of Fire/ Sound Border_

From the tree lines, a cloaked figure can be seen staring at the three young ninja and the deceased corpse. His mask blocked out all facial features, but the hole on his right eye shows the ominous three tomoe of a fully mature Sharingan. Standing on top of the highest tree of the forest surrounding the plains, the man observed the trying battle of survival between the Konoha genin and the ninja of Oto. He was intrigued at the results of the battle, and the prowess of the young Uchiha who, despite his severely injured arm, managed to lead the three of them into victory.

Dashing at a high speed atop the tree lines was another cloaked figure. The figure was a girl with shoulder length orange hair and fair green eyes. She had a small nose and fairly high cheekbones, but she was rather pretty nonetheless. She had three sheathed katanas, two on her back, and one on the right side of her hip. She was holding tightly to a golden lyre that reflected the sunlight intensely. She was panting loudly, trying to catch up to the masked man.

"Aw, Boss, why do ya gotta be soooo fast?" She asked in frustration. She pouted her lips to show her disapproval.

"That question is irrelevant. You know how I got here first." The masked man said, uninterested in the childish behavior of his partner.

"Meanie…" The girl said in a very melancholy voice. She seemed very sad at her Boss's response. She then noticed all the genin lying down on the floor of the plains. "Are those the kids?" Her tone changed quickly from depressed to ecstatic.

"Yes." Answered the mask man. "The Kyuubi jinchuuriki and the last of the Uchiha clan are both lying down, taking respite from their victory."

"Boss, why not just get the kid now?" asked the girl.

"The Kyuubi must be extracted last in order for the process to work." The masked man replied. "Besides, if the Kyuubi went missing after the mission, it will raise suspicions towards our actions. We cannot let the world know that Akatsuki is active yet. The time will come."

"Bummer," the girl responded noticeably disappointed. She then started crying. "It's not *sniff* fair."

The masked man was uninterested in the girl's crying. He knew that it will come to an end shortly. "Itachi and Kisame's failed extraction of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki has lead Jiraiya of the Sannin to catch whims of our actions. That in itself has delayed events for another couple of years. I can't believe that Itachi would be so careless." His tone was disappointed at the mention of the failure of the first Akatsuki kidnapping.

"Well, shit happens Boss," The girl said, putting her hands on her waist. "That kid with the blue shirt, is that Itachi-oniisan's kid bro?"

"Yes." The masked man had said. "It's also unfortunate that he did not go to Orochimaru. His hatred would have made him an invaluable asset of Akatsuki."

"Ohmigosh, I can't wait to meet him!" the girl screamed, like a squealing fan. "Itachi-oniisan kicks my ass all the time, I wonder if he could do the same?"

"Not in his condition. Not at the present moment." The masked man answered, with a strange sympathetic tone.

"Bummer *sniff*" lamented the girl, resuming her crying.

"I must depart for Kirigakure immediately." The masked man said. "I want you to keep an eye on the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. Since you are not an official member of Akatsuki, no suspicious eyes will be turned your way. Do not wear your cloak at any given moment."

"Yes Boss," the girl replied soaking in her sorrows.

"Even more important, I want you to keep a close eye on Sasuke and his progress. Observe his patterns, who he hangs out with, what he enjoys, and report them back to me." The girl was taken aback by the masked man's apparent interest in the Uchiha youth. She thought that the Kyuubi jinchuuriki would be of higher priority than the Uchiha boy. Her boss was certainly an enigma, even to her.

"Yes Boss!" She said excitedly, the apparent sorrow and despair gone from her voice, replaced with glee and excitement. She was very eager to complete the mission that her boss assigned to her.

"Excellent. I trust that you will accomplish this reconnaissance mission with exceptional results." The masked man said, before disappearing into a distortion of the space-time continuum.

"Hmm, this is interesting…" the girl said. "The Kyuubi jinchuuriki and the Uchiha kid! Itachi-oniisan would be so jealous of me right now!" A southern wind blew across the plain and the girl vanished in a puff of smoke, carried along by the breeze.

* * *

**Hey y'all**

**Thank you all so much for reading my second chapter of _True Pathes to Power. _It's been an amazing week and I am thrilled to have finish writing this. I am very happy with the first week stats for my story as well. 113 Views, 11 Followers, 7 Favorites, and 4 Reviews! I even got into a Community! Check them out ( community/Sasuke-is-a-good-guy-Fics/107124/)**

**And that concludes the two chapter fight with Kimimaro. I hope everyone enjoyed the pitched, life and death struggle against Orochimaru's favorite pawn. I did not want Gaara to be in this battle because he utterly decimates Kimimaro. So Sasuke and all of his battle genius gets to pull of the ending blow. Kimimaro had a "bone" to pick with that after all *commits suicide after stupid pun***

**Orochimaru has plans for a new Sound Five. I don't know for certain who will be in the Sound Five, but I will be doing extensive research to see if any canon characters could fit the description. If not, I will fill their places with OCs, as much as I really, really, hate to. The leader of the Sound Five will most definitely be an OC though, count on that. Already have plans drafted up in this cranium of mine.**

**Introducing my first OC! She is affiliated with Akatsuki (but not a member) and a subordinate to the _mysterious_ masked man (If you _don't_ know him yet). I hope you guys come to like her, as she will be playing a large antagonistic role in the future. However, this story is a Sasuke-centered fic, so my OC will not be the highlight. If there is ever a need to put her in the starring role, I will make gaiden chapters that explicitly state such. If you don't like her, then I apologize for not living up to your expectations. But she's here to stay and she will be important to Sasuke, Itachi, and the Masked Man. Deal with it.**

**As for the Masked Man, he will be slightly different from canon. The reason being that he has an associate, a subordinate that he talk to and trust. The Masked Man did not have such a thing in canon, since all of his colleagues were merely tools for the grand scheme of things. This is a person he actually _trusts_, but we will get to that in a separate chapter.**

**The position for editor is still open for those who are interested. I am only one man, and I DO proofread my work. However, I won't catch most of my mistakes, since I am the one who wrote the piece. Also, my ideas may be limited because of me being one person. If I have an editor, and a good one at that, I will not only grow as a writer, but I will also make quality works that rival some of the best fan fics in this site. The journey is long and arduous, so please remain by my side all the way. I won't disappoint. PM me and I'll let you edit a scene from my work to see your skills.**

**Now for the questions.**

* * *

**Q: Is your title spelling intentional?**

**A: You know what? Now that I think about it, its not...I'll go fix that today...**

**Q: Did the fight atop the hospital never happen?**

**A: Yes. The fight atop the hospital never occurred because Sasuke had no need to gauge his progress against Naruto. Even if he did, he would be unable to, since shortly after he woke up he was assaulted and kidnapped by the Sound Four. He never even had a chance to meet Naruto again.**

**Q: Since Sasuke never gets beaten up/mindfucked by Itachi I'm guessing the hospital fight never happens but what does in its stead?**

**A: Kidnapped and placed in a casket by the Sound Four, so that his Curse Seal can manifest itself. His desire for vengeance is not large enough at this point, however, and he can reject the influence of the Curse Seal.**

**Q: Nice fight sequence with Kimimaro, will Gaara or Lee show up like in canon?**

**A: Does this chapter answer your questions?**

* * *

**Once again, Thank you all so much for expressing interest in my fan fiction! Hope to see you all here again next Monday! Now I have to go fix my _obvious s_pelling error *sobs on his sleeve.***

**-Blackrazgriz 4/22/2013 12:15 EST**


	3. Reflection and Revitalization

**Chapter 3: Reflection and Revitalization**

Naruto and Sasuke were both lying on the grass, reflecting on their recent victory against Kimimaro. Hands down, Kimimaro was the most difficult opponent both genin has faced in their lives, considering the fact that they met many ninja in the past 6 months that desperately tried to kill them. Upon reflection, they've both came across their fair share of mistakes, and they both mentally evaluated the mistakes and their actions in the battle. Naruto realized that he was too over-reliant on his Kage Bunshin. He simply kept using clone after clone in failed attempts to even scratch his opponent. With this realization, he came to the conclusion that he needs to increase the repertoire of offensive jutsu in his arsenal. He only knew Rasengan, Kage Bunshin, and Kuchiyose no Jutsu, the last of which would have been completely ineffective, based on Kimimaro's prowess in taijutsu and his "ultimate defense."

Not only does he need to increase his number of jutsu, but he also has to include long-range ninjutsu as well. When Kimimaro switched weapons from his bone sword to his whip, Naruto was utterly helpless to defend against the increased range. His clones could do nothing but get slaughtered at the snap of the whip. They could not simply rely on shuriken and kunai to deliver the range that, say, Goukakyuu no Jutsu could deliver.

What's worse was that he took _far _too long to create a Rasengan. He was almost killed by Kimimaro until Lee interfered. Naruto realized the flaw of using a clone to help build the Rasengan. It took time to form the hand seal for Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, time for the clone to appear, and time for the clone to do the proper rotations for the Rasengan. It was time that could have been cut if he had true mastery of the Rasengan. In the field of battle, time was a luxury that could not be handed down at any given moment. As Naruto learned firsthand, if you do things too slow in the middle of a battle, you will die.

While Naruto lamented on his lack of jutsu and inefficiency in producing Rasengan, Sasuke was reflecting on how he failed to end the battle from the start. Sasuke quickly recognized that he should have had his Sharingan active in the very beginning of the battle. Sure, testing his opponent's limits is important in determining their capabilities in battle, but in a life-and-death struggle if you cannot finish the enemy quickly, they can (and most likely will) turn the tide to their favor. Itachi would not allow a moment of respite for Sasuke during their final confrontation. Sasuke needed to fight at his full strength from the beginning of the bout, and eliminate the possibility of enemy retaliation.

With that said, Sasuke must increase his chakra reserves beyond its current limits. However, using too much chakra will leave him vulnerable against the whispers of the Curse Seal. If he wants to reject the influence of the Curse Seal, he must have enough chakra to battle for extended periods of time. It's already a limit that he could only use Chidori twice a day. If he has larger reserves, than he can go all out from the start without fear of being tempted by the Curse Seal.

This goal is going to be difficult to accomplish. The Seal drains chakra during battle, reducing one's chakra reserve even before commencing the battle. If one hopes to avoid the influence of the Seal, one must be willing to fight battles with a handicap, as the Seal always steals your chakra. When you have low chakra, the Seal takes over automatically, granting one with immense power in exchange for one's stamina and mental state of mind. Sasuke tried to use three Chidori against Gaara during their battle, but the Seal took over, restricting his movements. The Seal is an unfortunate liability that Sasuke must work around, since he desires to grow stronger.

For now, Naruto and Sasuke were both gazing at the drifting clouds, grateful to have survived the battle. Lee was still unconscious, but he was moved closer to the two genin. Kimimaro's corpse was still lying on the battlefield, awaiting the final decision of Sasuke and Naruto. Sasuke voiced his opinions against the burial of their enemy, stating that they could make a profit off of his kekkei genkai. Naruto, however, argued that neither of them was in any condition to carry the bulky man, who was still in his second Cursed State.

"Hey, blockhead…" Sasuke suddenly said with his gaze firm at the clouds.

"What's up, asshole?" Naruto responded. He too was staring at the majesty of the sea of clouds.

"Those things you said about being my best friend…" Sasuke trailed off. He knew what he was about to say was uncharacteristic of him. He was an avenger! He was supposed to have no time to appreciate the subtle gifts of camaraderie. But Naruto's words truly moved him, to the point that he actually shed tears. "…was that true?"

"Yeah." Naruto said with no hesitancy in his voice. He did not falter when he announced his true thoughts of Sasuke. Sure, he was a little afraid of what Sasuke felt about him, but he knew that what he said was true. As he stared at the clouds drifting by nonchalantly, he knew that he holds no regrets for what he just said.

"Thanks…" Sasuke said. "You know, after all the things we've been through, I…er…kinda sorta…maybe think of you as…uh…a best friend…a little…er…" But Naruto flipped before he could finish his statement.

"WHAT DO YA MEAN 'KINDA SORTA'?" Naruto angrily shouted. "IT'S 'I'M YOUR BEST FRIEND' OR 'I'M NOT'!"

"Fine loser," Sasuke said, rolling his eyes at Naruto's outburst. "You are my best friend." There was reluctance in his voice, but Naruto already knew he was somber. Sasuke did have a pride to protect, if anything was going to remain a legacy of the once great Uchiha clan. "Jeez, I'm best friends with a degenerate failure of a loser. I don't think I'll ever be able to kill Itachi."

Sasuke's last comment was sarcastic, but it got Naruto thinking. Thinking about the events that occurred before Sasuke woke up from his coma. He was now arguing with himself about revealing the events, or staying silent. Kakashi had told Naruto not to let Sasuke know that Itachi attacked him. He was worried that if Sasuke knew, he would be lured to seeking Orochimaru for more power. Yet, this was Sasuke's brother. He had to know the truth that Itachi was alive and starting to make his move.

"Sasuke, there's something I gotta tell ya." Naruto said in a solemn voice. "It's really important."

Sasuke was immediately taken aback. Naruto sounded very serious. Could this be…?

"Hey stupid, I already said we were best friends. Don't tell me you're in love with me now. Don't push your luck."

"I would never love you for all the ramen in the world, asshole!" Naruto indignantly shouted back. "Thinking these things? No wonder you don't have any friends."

"Look who's talking."

"Ugh," Naruto face palmed. "That's not even close to what I wanted to say."

Sasuke was confused. He was relieved that Naruto did not love him; he would have killed him on the spot, no regrets whatsoever. But Naruto still sounded serious. He was never this serious at any given moment in time. What could be important enough to warrant this sudden change in character?

"I met Uchiha Itachi." Was all that Naruto said.

Sasuke's eyes were open wide in shock. Why? Why would his brother Itachi show up in front of the dead last? Why is he starting to make his move now, of all times? His thoughts were overwhelmed with a shroud of intense hatred and scorn. The mere mention of Itachi would infuriate Sasuke in an instant.

"He was after me. He trapped me in this strange genjutsu for three straight days." Naruto started shuddering. He watched his friends and loved ones get brutally murdered over and over again while he could do nothing. Forced to undergo 72 hours straight of psychological torture. He was fortunate that Jiraiya arrived just in time to prevent his kidnapping. Just thinking about the incident brought tears to Naruto's eyes. It was unbearable beyond human comprehension.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called out his name, but there was no response. "Naruto!" He could not believe Itachi trapped him in Tsukuyomi. Sasuke knew full and well the repercussions of such a powerful genjutsu. Itachi used it on him as a child, and left him scarred for life. He still gets nightmares from the horrific torture inflicted on him during that moment. But Naruto underwent it for 72 hours? Sasuke only went through 12 hours of torture…did Itachi become stronger?

He placed his hands on Naruto's shoulders, trying to comfort him. "Naruto, it's okay. He's not here." Naruto snapped back into reality. He realized that he was crying. Tsukuyomi really did affect him greater than he anticipated.

"Thanks, Sasuke." Naruto said, wiping tears from his eyes. He could not believe that he cried right in front of Sasuke, the bastard. Sasuke will never let him live it down.

"Why was Itachi after you?" Sasuke asked in confusion.

"I…I…" Naruto did not want to answer the question. Sasuke was his best friend, but he didn't know what Sasuke would think of him if he told him that he was the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. People in Konoha glared daggers at him while he walked down the streets, just because he was a prison that housed the most powerful demon in recent history. What if Sasuke was like everyone else? What if this whole "best friend" business was just some fiasco? "…I can't tell you the reason why…not yet anyways."

Sasuke wanted to press forward, but he held his tongue. Naruto has a right to his privacy, even if it dealt with Itachi. He trusted Naruto with everything he had, so if Naruto felt like telling him at a later time, he would not pressure him at the moment.

"I was told that Itachi attacked Kakashi as well." Naruto continued, surprising Sasuke. "Seems like he was sent to the hospital. Attacked with the same genjutsu as me, ya know."

Kakashi could not even stand against Itachi? His clenched fists were trembling now. How strong was Itachi right now? How far behind was Sasuke when compared to his older brother? How much power must he obtain before he can successful fight on equal terms against Itachi? Would going to Orochimaru really have helped him gain power?

No. Orochimaru would never allow him to gain power merely for charity. If Orochimaru wanted Sasuke to come to him, there must have been an ulterior motive. What Orochimaru wanted more than Sasuke to fulfill his goals was for Sasuke to become his next vessel. He wanted the Sharingan.

"He was with someone," Naruto continued. "Some fish face with a large ass sword."

So Itachi was not alone. He was with another person, presumably of equal strength. Sasuke may have to fight this enemy when he confronts Itachi. Either he will have to fight Itachi and the fish face alone, or he fights them with a partner. He immediately thought of Naruto. His progress has been staggering. Apparently, when he was knocked into a coma, Naruto managed to subdue Gaara all on his own. Not only that, he learned a new jutsu that rivaled the power of his Chidori. There was no doubt in Sasuke's mind that Naruto was growing stronger.

_You must kill your closest friend._

Sasuke suddenly thought about the night of the Uchiha clan massacre. He remembered all the bodies thrown about and all the blood that littered the area. He thought about the scene he witnessed when he arrived home; his mother and father's corpses piled on top of each other, and his brother, soaked in the blood of his parents, standing right over them. His Sharingan looked…different somehow. "_You too, can awaken the same Mangekyou Sharingan as me." _He said to Sasuke as he tried in a futile attempt to crawl away from his mad brother. "_But there is a requirement."_

_You must kill your closest friend._

He thought about Naruto again. Would he be willing to kill him to gain power? Maybe the Mangekyou Sharingan will provide him with the power that was needed to kill Itachi. _No. _That was not the right way to think. He could gain the power needed by himself, without having to rely on anyone as a crutch.

"Hey, dobe." Sasuke called out to Naruto, who stopped looking at the clouds to turn to him.

"What is it this time, prick?"

"I want to fight you someday."

Naruto thought about the Chuunin exam. Sasuke said the exact same thing to him that time. Although they were never able to fight it out, due to the invasion of the Sound and Sand, they still held their sentiments in high regard. They both had an intense desire to fight each other, to prove their worth and strength to the other.

"We need to get stronger, Naruto." Sasuke said, holding his fist out in front of him as if trying to grab the sky. "We need to be strong enough to accomplish our goals, and the only way to gain that power is by testing each other's strengths."

Naruto nodded in agreement. Originally Naruto grew stronger because he sincerely wanted to become Hokage. But by narrowing his goal to immediate ones, like fighting Sasuke and Neji, he was able to progress at a much faster pace.

"You may be my best friend, but you're also my greatest rival. I won't ever hold back when we fight, got it?" Sasuke said thinking about their inevitable clash.

"Just so you know, I won't lose, bastard." Naruto replied with a grin.

"No, you're still gonna lose. Just don't make it easier for me to kick your ass." Sasuke said, closing his eyes. He won't kill Naruto. He won't go to Orochimaru. Sasuke's life was his own to live, and he will never rely on anyone for the power he seeks. He is his own person, and no one will ever take that away from him. That was _his _Nindo.

A boy with a large gourd on his back was leaping across the tree branches in a blinding speed. He needed to hurry; Sasuke may have already fallen into Orochimaru's grasp. Ever since he found new meaning in what it means to protect, he vowed to live his life for the wellbeing of others. When he heard that Uchiha Sasuke was kidnapped by a group under the employ of the man that killed the Sandaime Hokage, he knew he needed to act in haste. Without permission from their jounin sensei, Baki, the Sunagakure siblings rushed to the border of the Land of Fire and Sound.

Immediately after arriving at the Northern forests of the Land of Fire, they came across an unconscious Konoha genin. Fortunately the genin was by a tree that held directions to where they needed to go, so one of the siblings, Kankuro, offered to return him to Konohagakure for recovery. As they continued their travels, they found yet another Konoha genin, this one with a severe penetration wound on his left shoulder that to pierce his lung. He was in critical condition, and if no one got him back to Konoha he would die from blood loss. So Temari of the Suna siblings offered to take him back to Konoha. Now, Sabaku no Gaara was the only one of the siblings left to go after Sasuke.

Gaara felt that he and Naruto were the only people that could save Sasuke from the darkness within his heart. He knew that Sasuke had that darkness; he could see it in his eyes. They say that if you and your opponent were first class shinobi, you could read each other's hearts using your fists. Gaara knew exactly what Sasuke was feeling when he fought him. It was crying out with ever punch Sasuke launched against Gaara's defense: Vengeance.

Naruto saved Gaara from the darkness he was getting himself into. It was only natural to repay his debt by saving a friend falling deep into the cesspool of despair. Gaara will save Sasuke, he just had to. That was his way of redemption.

Gaara was finally reaching the exit of the forest. He entered a clearing, a small plain in the center of the forest, devoid of any trees. But what he saw surprised him to a small smile. Two Konoha genin were working together to bury the remains of what appeared to be an Oto shinobi. Another genin was knocked out enjoying his nap with the calm breeze and gentle sunlight illuminating his face. He could recognize the faces of all the genin. After all, he fought all of them in the Chuunin Exams; Rock Lee, Uchiha Sasuke, and Uzumaki Naruto. All these genin were the only enemies he has ever fought that managed to break through his absolute defense and actually damage him. All of these opponents helped him find the light at the end of the path. All of these adversaries he owed a debt of gratitude.

He walked towards Naruto and Sasuke, noticing the limp arm that Sasuke was shaking about. They really were struggling to bury the Oto shinobi, since Naruto was going through Chakra exhaustion and Sasuke had a severe injury.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara called out to the orange-cladded genin. Naruto turned around to meet the voice. He had the largest grin in his mouth as he saw the figure of Gaara, one of the people he fought during the Chuunin exams.

"GAARA!" Naruto shouted and ran up to him, excited to meet Gaara after several months. Sasuke, on the other hand, was antsy about meeting Gaara again. He was responsible for putting him in a coma.

"It's been too long, Uzumaki Naruto." Gaara said, with the same stone cold gaze. But he had a smile on his face as well. He, too, was very excited about meeting the man who saved him. "Your village requested the aid of Suna in the retrieval of Uchiha Sasuke, but it seems that it was not necessary."

"Hehe!" Naruto said, rubbing his nose from the compliment. "What else can ya expect? If you have Naruto in a mission, it's no doubt gonna be accomplished!" He could not contain his positive emotions. He managed to rescue Sasuke from Orochimaru's clutches, saw that Rock Lee recovered successfully and was in good condition after his bout against Gaara, got Sasuke to recognize his friendship with him, and met Gaara again after a long time. Today was going amazingly for him.

Gaara turned to look at Sasuke, but Sasuke looked away. Gaara could understand Sasuke's pain though. He placed Sasuke in a coma, denying him the opportunity to live his life for several months. He needed to rectify his mistake.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Gaara said in his usual monotone voice. Sasuke did not react to his name being called, merely looking at the ground below him and holding his limp arm. "I understand your feelings. I understand if you resent me for what I did. Yet, despite all that, I wanted to apologize."

Sasuke looked up. Gaara wanted to apologize? The Gaara he fought was a bloodthirsty maniac who wanted to feed the blood of his victims to his sand, which he referred to as "Mother." Yet, here he was, apologizing for actions that he was once ecstatic about. Naruto also seemed to be excited to see Gaara again. What exactly has he missed during his time in the bed?

"What's the catch?" Sasuke asked, wanting clarification about Gaara's change in character.

"I merely felt that I had a debt to repay. A debt to Uzumaki Naruto." He turned to face Naruto, who was very confused about Gaara's words. "Uzumaki Naruto, thank you very much for saving me from myself. During our battle, your conviction and resolve reached me. Your desire to protect your friends, and your desire to save the village that so hated you truly touched me. It made me realize that I, too, had some worth with my village. It allowed me to open up to the people who hated me, and try to accept them in a loving fashion instead of a bloodthirsty fool."

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "It was nothing, ya know. We're alike in so many ways. I didn't want to just let face this all alone. Every time I think about what you were, I couldn't help but think about what I coulda become, ya know what I mean?"

Gaara nodded his head. As a jinchuuriki himself, Naruto was the only person that could have set Gaara on the right path. Naruto _knew_ the pain that Gaara was going through, _knew _the isolation he was dealing with, and understood him, despite his murderous cravings.

"Uzumaki Naruto changed me, Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara said in a grateful tone. "So I thought that I should help him save you. We are alike too. I could see it in your eyes, as I know you saw it in mine."

'It's true,' Sasuke thought. He was so blinded by his pursuit of power that he was willing to turn his back on everything he loved just to find ample strength. He knew exactly what Gaara was talking about.

"Gaara…" Sasuke said, hesitant in tone. "Look me in the eyes again. Do I still have the darkness dwelling inside?"

Gaara complied with Sasuke's wishes. He looked directly at Sasuke's eyes, but what he found utterly surprised him. Sasuke's eyes were…serene. As if he found his purpose. As if he did not have a problem in the world. Sasuke's eyes all but dispelled the hate from his stare. There were still subtle hints of a burning hatred, but that was overwritten by a look of calm and resolution.

"No…" Gaara confirmed with certainty. There was little hate in Sasuke's gaze. "Your eyes have a tranquil look in them…what happened after all this time, Uchiha Sasuke? What changed you?"

"I still have my pride, so I won't tell you," Sasuke said, smiling. "However, you could talk a wild guess as to how it occurred. I'm sure you'll get it first try."

Gaara smiled. Naruto was confused. He was never able to properly analyze situations and dialogue, and could not comprehend what Sasuke and Gaara was talking about. Gaara's face suddenly became solemn.

"Enough of the pleasantries. I do still have work to finish, and that is to ensure your safe return to your village. Give me a status report."

Sasuke's face got serious too. The pain in his left arm was all but gone, hurting very little and no longer interfering with his thought process. "Genin Uzumaki Naruto engaged the Oto shinobi in an attempt to rescue me, Genin Uchiha Sasuke, from captivity." Sasuke was like a completely different person. He sounded…like a true ninja. "Shortly afterwards, I was released from the casket I was held in and joined Naruto in the battle. At first, we held the upper hand, but the enemy disabled my left arm, and proceeded to overwhelm us through skillful use of taijutsu. As he was about to deliver the final blow to Naruto, Genin Rock Lee arrived and attacked the aggressor. Through our collaborative effort, I was able to deal the fatal blow, ending the battle in victory."

"Speaking of which," Naruto said crossing his arms and squinting his eyes. "How did you kill bone dude?"

"I knew that, even with my Chidori-enhanced kunai, it would be useless to hit the freak on the ground, where he's mobile, despite his size. So I had to directly engage him, in order to get him to make eye contact with me." Sasuke explained as simply as possible.

"Uh huh…" Naruto said in confusion.

"You don't get it do you, stupid?" Sasuke asked with a sigh.

"No clue." Naruto said with a strangely enthusiastic nod.

"Well, let me spell it out for you so your pea brain doesn't fry." Sasuke said with another sigh. "With the Sharingan, I can hypnotically suggest actions to the unknowing party."

"So ya can suggest they commit suicide?" Naruto asked with a shiver. He _definitely_ does not want to look at Sasuke's Sharingan now.

"…Yeah I can. But I need to make eye contact with them for longer than 30 seconds. The less subtle the action I suggest, the more effective my Sharingan is. Suicide is not subtle, so it takes more time with eye contact to occur. Besides, no enemy with a brain would want to stare into my eyes for longer than 30 seconds unless…" Sasuke began to chuckle at his own joke, which annoyed Naruto. "…they were suicidal."

"Not funny, jackass." Naruto said with a humorless face.

Sasuke sighed. Even a serious person like himself has to make jokes on occasion. Cut him some slack. "Anyways, I suggested that he jump backwards, and that he jumped high, in order to dodge your incoming jutsu."

"What?!" Naruto shouted. "You never meant for me to hit?!"

"First move is always a feint, idiot." Sasuke said while he palmed his face. "The purpose is that, while he was in the air, he could not maneuver as well as he could in the ground, making him an easier target. I also had him jump in a direction that allowed the trajectory of my kunai to pierce his heart."

"You could do that in less than a second of eye contact?" Naruto exclaimed.

"Yeah, dobe." Sasuke said. "From there, everything fell into place."

"Right…" Gaara said, returning the subject back to the debriefing. "Let's continue. Explain the reason why you were currently burying the enemy."

"At our conditions, it's unfeasible to transport the corpse of the enemy to our village. In order to prevent potential misuse of our enemy's kekkei genkai, we decided to bury him deep and remove all evidence of a battle from the location." Sasuke replied.

"Why not simply burn the corpse?" Gaara asked, intrigued.

"Naruto insisted on burying the corpse." Sasuke said with a sigh, the first emotion he has shown in this impromptu mission debriefing. Sasuke placed his forefinger and thumb on his brow, expressing his frustrations at Naruto's method. "I told you we should have done something to the corpse, fool!"

"Well, how was I supposed to think that far ahead?!" Naruto shouted. In all honesty, he really wanted to bury Kimimaro. His opponent was a valiant fighter, if misguided by his corrupt ideals. He only deserved a burial after their exhausting battle. Naruto thought that was the right thing to do.

"…I think I will assist you in the burial," Gaara said, surprising both Naruto and Sasuke. "My abilities with the sand will come in handy when it comes to this endeavor. After all, both of you are worn and incapable of doing much physical labor."

"Thanks for the help, Gaara." Naruto said with a smile. Sasuke just shook his head away. He was still too prideful to accept help from anyone, unless it was the direst of situations. He was grateful for Lee's intervention, but he did not really need the help of Gaara, even with his destroyed left arm.

"Alright." Gaara said returning to his strict persona. "Report any casualties that resulted from this battle."

"Both Lee and Naruto are suffering from Chakra exhaustion." Sasuke said. "Lee is suffering from minor muscle tears as a result of opening the First of the Celestial Gates, but other than that, with some rest, he should be back in peak physical condition. I have a fractured my left radius and ulna. I won't be moving this arm for a while." Sasuke lamented the fact that there was no first aid kit anywhere in sight. He probably would have made a makeshift caste until he can receive medical attention, but he does not have the materials for it.

"I see." Gaara said, with his hand under his chin in contemplation. "Is there anything else to be reported?"

"No. This is everything that occurred in the plains during our battle. I will have a more detailed report for Hokage-sama when we return to Konoha." Sasuke said.

"There is no need for that," Gaara said, stretching his arm in front of Sasuke. "I will do the mission debriefing in your stead. The information you have provided for me will be more than adequate enough to grant an accurate statement of the events of this plain."

"Gaara, what about my teammates?" Naruto asked with a worried expression. "Did you meet up with any of them when you came here?"

"Yes Naruto." Gaara said with a calming tone, reassuring Naruto that his friends were okay for the moment. "We first met up with a man with swirl markings on his cheek. He was lying unconscious on a tree with an arrow that pointed to the direction you guys were heading."

"Chouji!" Naruto shouted. "Is he okay? He's not gonna die, is he?"

"Your friend Chouji was in an apparently stable condition. He seemed to have suffered from Chakra exhaustion, so I had Kankuro take him back to the village."

Naruto was relieved. He was happy that Chouji was going to be okay. He was worried about leaving Chouji alone to fight one of the Sound Four, but it seems that his worry was off base.

"You're not alone?" Sasuke asked.

"I came with my siblings. You met them in the Chuunin exams. I've grown rather fond of them." Gaara smiled, thinking about the siblings who, despite their fear of Gaara and the Ichibi no Tanuki, never left his side. Their fears were overridden by their desire to protect their little brother, no matter what the cost was.

"As we continued to travel your way, we met another one of your comrades. A boy with a manji symbol on his forehead." Gaara continued.

"Neji!" Naruto shouted. Neji was injured? It seemed that the man with six arms was going to be a difficult opponent, but Naruto could not fathom Neji having a hard time.

"Your friend Neji was in a worse condition than your friend Chouji." Gaara explained. "He had a deep wound on his left shoulder, and was suffering from chakra exhaustion. He needed urgent medical attention immediately, so I had Temari take him back to Konoha as well.

"Did you come across Shikamaru and Kiba along the way?" Naruto asked.

"No. I came here as fast as I could to provide any assistance that was necessary. However, that was not the case. You and Uchiha Sasuke have performed your duties exceedingly well. I am certain that, when my siblings deposit your friends at Konoha, they will return to retrieve the others as well." Gaara said with certainty. He trusted his siblings to know exactly what to do, given the amount of casualties that occurred during their search for Sasuke.

Naruto was relived. Everything was going splendidly. Hopefully, Shikamaru and Kiba did not die. If they did not, this mission would have been deemed a rousing success.

"We should get moving." Gaara said. "Uchiha Sasuke has an injured arm, and he needs the medical attention. Can any of you carry Rock Lee?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other. Neither of them was in the proper condition to carry Lee, even if Naruto was not as badly damaged as Sasuke.

"I presume not." Gaara inferred. "Well then." With a motion of his hand, sand deposits from the ground began to rapidly gather under the unconscious body of Lee. Lee was lifted into the air in what seemed to be a cloud of sand.

"I will carry Rock Lee back to Konoha using this method." Gaara reassured the two genin. "We must finish the burial of your adversary before we take off."

Gaara used his sand to force apart the ground for a burial site. It was a smooth job, digging a grave with just sand, and it saved the two genin a massive amount of time and labor. Gaara used his sand to carry the deceased Kimimaro into the grave, and filled it with the earth he allocated to a different location. Naruto and Sasuke watched in awe as Gaara effortlessly completed the job in several minutes.

As soon as Gaara was done, he turned to look at Naruto and Sasuke. Both of them nodded with approval, ready to make the trek back to Konohagakure. Lifting Lee into the air using his chakra, Gaara, Naruto, and Sasuke concentrated whatever chakra was left into their feet and dashed off to the south.

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**Hey Y'all!**

**Thank you very much for reading my chapter. This chapter is a lot shorter than the other two, and has little action in it. However, it does contain some much needed reflection from the main protagonists. They need to understand what they did wrong in the battle in order to improve their skills. One does not become strong by simply defeating stronger opponents. One gains strength from insight and reflection. After all, a smart person makes mistakes, but a wise one learns from them.**

**The meat of the story will pick up next chapter. Hint: It's the hospital scene. What exactly is going to happen next chapter? What's going to change with Sasuke actually returning to Konoha? Stay tune to find out.**

**I am really ecstatic about the stats I am receiving from this story. It gives me great pleasure to write this story and equally great pleasure for you guys to read it. Here are my week 2 stats: 17 Followers, 11 Favorites, 7 Reviews, 1 Community, and 362 views! I doubled the amount of views I got from the first chapter, which gives me great pride! Thank you very much for taking your time to read my fanfiction.**

**Like before, the option to edit my works is still available. Please PM me if you have interest in influencing the flow of my work. My writing will also improve dramatically as a result, and I can deliver to you better and better quality writing. That's ultimately my goal as a writer of fanfiction, so I look forward to working with a potential new editor.**

**Keep checking updates for my other fanfiction, _Finding Conviction_, which updates every Wednesday. Some of you may wonder what happened to _Conflicting Resolves_. Well, I don't have a great desire to work on that while working on other fanfictions, so It's on hiatus until further notice. However, in the place of _Conflicting Resolves, _a new fanfiction will be worked on. It will be biweekly, released on the 1st and 15th of every month, and it will be 10000+ word chapters. Look forward to the first chapter, being released on May 1st, 2013!**

**Also, remember to check out the 'Sasuke is a good guy' community my story is in. Some of the works may intrigue you after all. ( community/Sasuke-is-a-good-guy-Fics/107124/)**

**Now for questions.**

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**Q: I have a question. Is Sasuke is still going to learn what he did in canon? If so who is going to teach him kenjutsu..?**

**A: I've been heavily debating that in my mind. I love kenjutsu, its an amazing technique and I think all practitioners of the art are badasses. However, I want my Sasuke to be distinct from canon. So I have a weapon discipline in mind for him. What is it you may ask? It's kinda generic for a fanfiction, but it fits nonetheless, and it will also help Sasuke expand his elemental knowledge base. That's the only hint I will give you, but make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the revelation.**

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**Once again, thank you all so much for reading my fanfiction, and I will see you all next Monday.**

**-Blackrazgriz 4/29/2013 11:03AM EST**


	4. The Journey Home

**Chapter 4: The Journey Home**

"The Journey Begins, starts from within

Things that I need to know"

-Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004)

Konoha General Hospital was especially hectic today, as new genin patients were being admitted once an hour. The team assigned with the retrieval of Sasuke met with some incredibly powerful shinobi, and had suffered severe damage. Akimichi Chouji's body was eating through chakra so fast that he was actually losing body weight. If he did not receive attention immediately, his body will eat itself until only the skeletal structure remained. Tsunade was hard pressed to find a solution to this problem. The Akimichi catalogued accurately the effects of the Red Chili Pill, and there was so much information it filled a two thousand page book. Fortunately, Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru's father, was by Tsunade's side, providing insight to her theories and speculations. Finally, they discovered that grounded Nara deer antlers, when applied to a unique serum that Tsunade concocted, would halt the chakra eating process completely. Exhausted, Tsunade breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew that her work was not complete. There were more patients to treat, and she had no time for a break.

In the emergency room, Hyuuga Neji was laying in the center of an elaborately designed seal. His wound had ceased bleeding, but he was still in critical condition and could still die if the medics were not careful. Four medics occupied all of the corners of the seal, attempting to repair Neji's wound using strands of his hair. The process was time consuming, taking seven hours for the elaborate seal to be drawn, and another 3 hours of intense chakra concentration to keep the cell ratio of his wounds and the cell ratio of his hair exactly the same. Shizune was fully focused on this endeavor; if they messed up the cell ratios, Neji could die from overexposure to foreign chakra. After 3 hours, the hair was finally beginning to morph into skin and combining with Neji's wound, effectively repairing it. Shizune wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but she could not lose her focus. This was a delicate process, and it required her utmost attention.

Inuzuka Kiba was resting in the infirmary, bandaged all over his lower torso and his face. He had received heavy bruising on his face from his failed attempt to overwhelm Sakon and Ukon's Rashōmon summon. To make matters worse, in order to fend off an attempted takeover of his body by Ukon, he stabbed himself in his appendix, almost rupturing the organ. It was enough to remove Ukon from his body, but the heavy injury knocked him out of the fight. He was very fortunate that Kankuro arrived in time to prevent Ukon from killing him. Akamaru, Kiba's partner, was in a more serious condition.

"How is he, sister?" Kiba asked, worried about the state of his loyal Ninken.

Kiba's sister, Inuzuka Hana, examined Akamaru with a stern look on her face. She had just finished bandaging Akamaru's legs, which took the brunt of the damage caused to his body. She was analyzing his condition and coming up with a suitable response for Kiba, who was worried more about Akamaru over himself.

"For the moment, he can't walk…" Hana said, pretty sure that was the best, least worrying response she could give her brother. "The muscles on his forelegs and hind legs were damaged."

"…Sister…" Kiba said, still worried about Akamaru's assessment. "You're a vet, aren't you?"

Hana nodded then placed her hand on Kiba's shoulder. "He's alright…" she said in a reassuring tone, brightening Kiba's spirits. "Don't worry, after some rest, his condition will stabilize."

Kiba wanted to jump out of his bed and hug his sister, but his injuries were disagreeing with him. So he was satisfied with merely nodding to show his approval. After moving his neck slightly, a jolt of pain rushed at him, causing him to scowl vocally.

"But more importantly, the same applies to you." Hana said, concerned about the sudden pain her brother had just felt.

Kiba merely smiled. The pain was nothing to him, and now that he knows Akamaru was going to be okay, he had nothing to worry about. "…Yeah…" he said, resting her uncertainties. "I got it." Kiba closed his eyes and dozed off into unconsciousness.

Outside of the emergency room, nervously playing with his hands, Nara Shikamaru was waiting to hear about the conditions of his teammates. It was his first venture as a Chuunin, and he had almost sacrificed the lives of his partners to achieve the mission. Sitting on the bench across from him was Temari, who showed up in the nick of time to kill Tayuya. She was not as worried about Chouji and the others as Shikamaru was, but his apparent breakdown was starting to irritate her.

"There's no use in fidgeting." She finally said, catching the attention of Shikamaru. Shikamaru only received a broken forefinger during his battle with Tayuya. Following a check up with some doctors, he was free to wait on the news of his friend's recoveries.

"Sacrifice is an inevitability of missions…" Temari told Shikamaru, as if she was clairvoyant. "Didn't you receive emotion training?" She was trying to reassure him that his decisions made during the mission were right and proper, and that he did not fumble in the slightest, despite his teammate's injuries. But Shikamaru was not having any of it. He felt that it was his fault that his team was wounded in the manner they were. With better planning, he could have avoided so many casualties. Shikamaru stared at Temari as if she did not know what she was talking about. She was a genin, and he a chuunin. She did not have the experience needed to provide advice for his dilemma.

"Training and actual combat are different…" Shikamaru told Temari, trying to justify his worry. "In a mission, you don't know what going to happen…And I…was a team leader for the first time on this mission…" Shikamaru looked away from Temari, wallowing in his self-pity. "Because of that, I understand that…" He turned back to face Temari, trying to prove a point. "I'm not cut out to be a shinobi…"

Temari closed her eyes in contemplation of Shikamaru's monologue. When she opened them, she just rolled it, brushing his statements aside. "Unexpected fragility…" she said, disregarding Shikamaru's feelings. "Men are strange…" She definitely did not want to have a pessimist as a husband in the future, and if it had to be a pessimist, she did not want him to be a lazy, unmotivated slacker. She would be adamant about not having a husband that enjoyed watching clouds and playing shōgi.

Shikamaru stood up and clenched his fists. He stared at the floor for a while before responding. "I shouldn't have been team leader this time…" He said sadly. "I just trusted everyone else. I was laid-back…I didn't have enough strength…It's all my fault…" He continued to ramble on in a guilty fashion. He was really torturing himself with all of this self-punishment. Humility is a quality trait to have, and Shikamaru was displaying it in spades by placing all the blame on himself. But he was going too far by blaming his teammate's injuries on himself. Those were unavoidable circumstances that he had no power over. Temari was honestly getting tired of hearing Shikamaru whimper like a whipped dog.

"…Are you afraid of being hurt?" Temari said. Shikamaru did not reply. She was not understanding his emotions. He just turned from her and walked away. As he passed a corner, his father, Shikaku exited from the emergency room and watched him in pity running away from a girl.

"Shikamaru…" he called out his name. "You're being talked down to by a girl and running away?"

First it was Temari. Now it was his father. People just simply refused to understand his reasoning. "I don't want to have a troublesome argument because I'm not a girl."

Shikaku stared at him for a few seconds before responding. "Yes…" he replied in initial agreement. "But you're also not a man. You're just a regular coward."

Temari thought about Shikaku's exclamation. Shikamaru was running away from his problems by blaming himself instead of moving on.

"Even if you quit being a shinobi, missions will still occur. Someone will carry them out." Shikaku verified. "Your companions will just go out with a new leader. So then maybe your companions will die…" Shikaku paused for a moment to ruffle his goatee before continuing his rant. "But if you're their leader that time…your companions may not reach that end…If you look at this time as an experience, and you learn from it…Maybe you can carry out your missions with less problems…" Shikaku stopped to notice the shaking of his son's shoulders. Maybe he really was taking everything he was saying to account. "If your companions are really important to you…before you think about running away…consider that you may become greater for the sake of your friends!" Shikaku broke off from the wall to stand straight, glaring coldly at his son's back. "That's what it means to be a real companion! You coward!"

Temari frowned at Shikaku's approach to Shikamaru's dilemma, but it seemed to have worked. Shikamaru could not rebut anything that his father had said, because everything hit right on the money. He was blaming himself and degrading himself as worthless. But in the end, life goes on. His friends may (or may not) recover and they will go back to doing what they did before this mission. Shikamaru cannot leave them behind, and as a leader it was his responsibility to make sure they don't ever get hurt, even with a difficult mission.

The door to the emergency slowly cracked open, and Tsunade left the room with a smile on her face.

"It's alright now" she said, comforting Shikamaru's worries. She took a seat at the bench Shikamaru was sitting on before as she continued her explanation. "The continuous cell destruction effect of the pill was stopped by an antidote that Shikaku and I put together." She sighed at her accomplishment, relieved that Chouji would be fine. "This time, he was saved…It was a success." She leaned on her arms and stared at the ceiling before continuing. "I used a special drug-mixing manual from the Nara clan. There were some serious things in that. The results of continual study?" She asked Shikaku curiously.

Shikaku was about to respond to Tsunade when the door to the emergency room slammed open again. "Tsunade-sama!" screamed Shizune at the top of her voice, despite Tsunade's relative closeness to Shizune's position. "Hyuuga Neji…his condition has stabilized!" Shizune was sweating profusely from her immobility and serious concentration hours on end. "Also…I have some information. Just now, Hatake Kakashi has returned with Sabaku no Gaara, Rock Lee, Uzumaki Naruto, and Uchiha Sasuke!" Tsunade smiled widely at the sound of the news. "Sasuke and Lee's conditions seem to be the most pressing, but neither were in critical condition."

"Well then, Shikamaru I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on a job well done." Tsunade praised. "Not only did you accomplish the mission, you returned your entire team to Konoha with no fatalities. I must commend you for expert performance."

"No…" Shikamaru said, puzzling Tsunade and Shikaku. "Don't commend me on this mission." Tears were streaming down Shikamaru's face at the amazing news he had just heard. Everyone in his team was alive and in stable conditions, and Naruto had returned with the mission objective. But he still was not satisfied with his accomplishment. "Next time…Next time I'll do it flawlessly!" Shikamaru vowed under a torrent of tears.

* * *

Sasuke was having a rough time in the hospital. His left hand was in a cast, and he was told that it would take about a month for it to fully heal. In the meanwhile he could not even properly train, especially with the 24 hour surveillance on him. He acutely noted some ANBU guards around his vicinity, watching his every move. At least his alert senses have improved throughout this terrible ordeal.

With nothing else to do in the hospital, Sasuke decided there was one thing he could train with while he waited for his eventual discharge: chakra control. Sasuke knew that in order to build his reserves, he needed to boost his own chakra control, and he could only do that by doing chakra control exercises. Yet, he has already completed tree climbing and water walking exercises. There was not a body of water to practice water rolling, and even if there was, his cast would get in the way of his training. There definitely was no nearby waterfall to practice waterfall climbing. He was left with improvising his own chakra control exercises.

He activated his Sharingan. In order for these exercise to work, he must deplete chakra at regular intervals. He must also be weary not to overuse chakra otherwise the Curse Seal will try to slither its way into Sasuke's heart. He was not about to let that happen. A gust blew inside Sasuke's room, along with it drifted an idly wandering leaf. Sasuke grabbed the leaf from its gentle descent, thanking his good fortune for such a useful training item to just randomly blow into his room.

Sharingan still active, he placed the leaf on his forehead, just like the simple chakra control exercises from the Academy. The goal of the exercise is to maintain the leaf on his forehead without it dropping to the floor. It required a steady amount of chakra to be concentrated on that area. With the Sharingan active, it's already simple to have chakra relocated to his head, but the trick is maintaining both the Sharingan and the leaf on his forehead for long durations of time. He needed to focus his chakra in to distinct places at the same time, and that required heavy concentration. His best time to sustain the Sharingan was 2 hours and 17 minutes before he exhausted his chakra reserves. Obviously, with the leaf on his forehead as he maintained his Sharingan, his time would be far less than it is right now. But the goal is to reach up to and surpass his best time. In effect, it will allow him to keep Sharingan for longer durations of time. Combat-wise, this will provide him with the upper hand against an equally powerful opponent who will prolong the battle.

Almost an hour into his training, he was interrupted by a knock on his door. The momentary lapse in concentration dropped the leaf that was clinging onto his forehead by chakra. Sasuke scowled at the interruption, but could do nothing else about it. The door opened slightly, and a red clothed, pink haired kunoichi walked in holding a vase with a single rose for the patient. When she looked into Sasuke's eyes (still active with the Sharingan) she could not believe her own eyes. Sasuke was here, he was in Konohagakure! He did not fall for the temptation of power that Orochimaru offered, and that brought tears to her eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…" she said, the tears welling up in her eyes finally streaming down her face.

Sasuke looked away. He knew that it was rude to have your kekkei genkai active during conversations and meetings, but he did not care. He was in the middle of his training exercise when the kunoichi decided to drop in unannounced. He was not about to give up on a certain facets of his training to host his guest.

"Uh…hi Sakura…" Sasuke said, unsure of what to do in this situation. He'd much rather to continue training instead of be with Haruno Sakura, but it's not like he had much of a choice. A couple of months ago, he probably would have told Sakura to leave his room, that he was in the middle of concentration. But now, he wanted to cherish the small bonds he shared with his teammates.

Sakura came running towards Sasuke's side and embraced him in a gentle hug. Sasuke could feel the young girl shudder as she shook from crying and hiccupping into his chest. He wanted to comfort her, but his Uchiha pride was telling him that it would be too much; it would lead the girl on. So he merely just allowed her to cry on his shirt, drenching it in her tears.

"Sasuke-kun…" the young girl moaned, tears chocking her voice. "Sasuke-kun…I thought I was never going to see you again." She was earnestly worried about Sasuke's safety. She cried right in front of Naruto as she begged him to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, something that ninja were not allowed to do. She didn't care about the whole shinobi code. She just did not want to lose Sasuke again, like his apparent death in the Wave Country.

Sasuke just smirked. "You honestly thought I was going to go to that snake?" Sasuke asked sarcastically. "Do you not have enough faith in me?"

Sakura looked up into Sasuke's eyes and saw the three tomoe orbiting his pupils. She originally wanted to smile and refute what Sasuke had said, but now she was feeling pride at Sasuke's accomplishment.

"Sasuke-kun, congratulations!" Sakura shouted in excitement.

Sasuke was confused. He was back in Konoha, but that was not grounds for congratulations. Yes, he did kill Kimimaro (his first kill, and he's taken it rather well), but he could not have done it without the help of Naruto and Lee.

"Your Sharingan looks exactly like Kakashi-sensei's!" Sakura explained. "You have those three thingies floating around your pupils!"

Sasuke widened his eyes in disbelief. Three tomoe circling his pupils…looks like Kakashi's Sharingan…could this mean?

He hugged Sakura this time with his good arm, forgetting all of his pride in placement of extreme bliss. He could not believe that he had finally matured his Sharingan. Now he was ready to fight Itachi, he was ready to avenge his clan.

Sakura, on the other hand, blushed uncontrollably. Her cream skin was dyed a hot pink color as she tried to contemplate what exactly was going on right now. Yet, she did not care. Sasuke was hugging her, and that all that mattered. Once again, she returned the hug.

This embrace lasted several minutes before Sasuke realized what he was doing. In less than a fraction of a second, he had let go of Sakura and started to fumble away from her. There was a minor blush on his cheeks as well, not because he liked the girl, but because he had forgotten about his pride and utterly embarrassed himself.

"Uh…don't tell Naruto…" Sasuke said, still embarrassed. "If you do…I will find you…"

Sakura put both of her hands on her lap then looked down towards the floor. She giggled at Sasuke's apparent threat, knowing he would never really do anything to her. Her cheeks were still red from that wonderful hug Sasuke graced her, and she will not be letting it up. Yamanaka Ino is definitely going to be jealous now.

"Y-yes…Sasuke-kun." She said in a hushed voice, similar to that of Hyuuga Hinata.

Sasuke turned towards her, Sharingan still spinning, and smiled at her. It was a genuine smile, not a smirk or a grin.

"Sakura, thank you for letting me know about my Sharingan." He said in all honesty. He was very blissful. He was certain that, with a fully mature Sharingan, he can match Itachi's strength and give him a run for his money.

Sasuke and Sakura spent the next two hours discussing what went on during Sasuke's coma. She talked about how Naruto and Jiraiya, one of the legendary Sannin, travelled around the Fire Country in order to find the next Hokage. She also described Naruto's new jutsu, as Sasuke was completely unaware of Naruto's training and his new jutsu. Learning about what his best friend had done during the months of coma made Sasuke even more eager to battle him. Only then can he truly measure the limits of his abilities.

"…I wanted to apologize…" Sakura suddenly said.

Sasuke turned to her, confused. He wondered what exactly she wanted to apologize for. It's not like anything she could do would bother Sasuke (unless you consider her overeager fangirlism).

"For what?" Sasuke asked.

"For my inaction…" Sakura said, with a depressed look on her face. "When the Sound ninja came and took you away, I couldn't do anything but cry."

Sasuke had an irritated look on his face. Yes, Sakura was compassionate and loyal. But it drove him insane that she was unwilling to better herself as a kunoichi and a shinobi. Often times Sasuke wondered what his team would be like if they had Hinata or Ino, because they took being kunoichi more seriously than Sakura did.

"Hn," Sasuke scowled. "Don't worry about it. 'Sides, there would have been nothing you could do about it."

"That's just it, though!" Sakura shouted, almost close to tearing up. "I hate the fact that there is nothing I could do about it!"

Sasuke was surprised. Did his absence actually change the kunoichi's beliefs? He should get kidnapped more often, then.

"I'm tired of being the weakest link for our team." She continued, with tears falling down her face. "I used to think I was better than Naruto. But he's improved so much, and all I've done was being a burden to you all."

"That's not true." Sasuke said, surprising himself with his reassurance. "When Gaara tried to kill you, I was so angry. I wanted to protect you with everything I had, so I rushed in blindly to save you. I was afraid. I was afraid that Gaara was going to kill me and end my ambitions. But when I thought about you possibly dying, I couldn't just stand still." Sakura was staring wide-eyed at Sasuke's admission. She couldn't believe that she affected Sasuke this much. "The same thing happened when that snake Orochimaru attacked us. The urge to protect you overrode my fear from his killing intent."

Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and stared at Sakura's eyes. "Don't you see? You aren't useless. You are the morale that drives this team to push beyond our limits. You're the reason why we can move on, even in our most fatigued. So don't ever put yourself down because you did not have the power to help rescue me. Who do you think gave Naruto the power to rescue me?"

Sakura just stared at Sasuke dumbfounded. Everything that Sasuke had said was right. She was grateful that Sasuke truly did not think of her as a nuisance. Sasuke, after making his point, reactivated his Sharingan to continue building his resilience.

"That being said, don't think that you can just keeping slacking off. Me and Naruto can't protect you forever, so you need to learn how to stand on your own two feet."

Sakura nodded enthusiastically. "I know!" she said with confidence filling her voice. "That's why I plan on taking the apprenticeship with Tsunade-sama. I don't want to stand in the sidelines and watch you and Naruto fight anymore. I want to be there with you when push comes to shove!"

Sasuke smiled at Sakura's newfound resolution. He admired her desire to grow stronger and not be a burden to her team. He could now focus on reaching new heights without a dead weight holding him back.

"Aww, this is very romantic." A new voice suddenly appeared, causing Sakura to blush deeply. Kakashi had entered Sasuke's room from the window, interrupting Sakura's personal time with Sasuke. She was about to vocally complain until Sasuke started talking.

"Sakura, I need you to leave. I have things to discuss with Kakashi." Sasuke said, in an extremely serious tone.

Sakura was confused as to why Sasuke wanted to talk to Kakashi. She knew that Kakashi was in a coma for some apparent reason. Was that the reason why Sasuke wanted to talk to Kakashi? But why alone? They were all Team 7. He could speak to her about anything.

"Sakura, I agree with Sasuke." Kakashi said unexpectedly. Kakashi knew what Sasuke wanted to talk about, and he respected the avenger's wishes to discuss it alone.

Sakura complied with Sasuke's and Kakashi's demands. When she left the room, Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan. He kept it active for about 2 hours and 46 minutes, breaking his personal best. But he could not have it on while in the presence of a superior. He was a shinobi of Konoha, after all.

"Before we begin, I'd like to congratulate you on fully maturing your Sharingan." Kakashi said with a smile beneath his mask. "It took me quite some time before I fully matured my Sharingan, but by the time I did I…" He looked towards the floor. He did not want to remember his painful past.

"Hn," Sasuke said. Truth be told, he was elated beyond comprehension. But he wanted to keep his cool demeanor in the presence of Kakashi.

"You must have been in some dire situations to unlock the third tomoe." Kakashi said.

"Life-threatening." Sasuke replied, remembering his battle with Kimimaro. "On to more important matters. Why did you tell Naruto not to tell me?"

"So he did tell you?" Kakashi figured that Naruto wouldn't keep his friend in the dark. Kakashi was now worried about Sasuke's reaction.

"Yeah, he did. He told me how both you and him got caught in Itachi's Tsukuyomi. But why did you give him that order? Why were you trying to withhold that information from me?"

"…I was afraid that if you knew, you would willingly seek out Orochimaru for power." Kakashi answered honestly.

"Maybe I should, just to spite you!" Sasuke shouted angrily. The fact that Kakashi tried to keep this information from him made him angrier than anything Sakura could pull. Sasuke then took a breath of air and thought more carefully. Kakashi did have grounds to believe that Sasuke would try to approach Orochimaru for power. "…I still want to kill my brother, Kakashi…"

"That's exactly the reason why I did not tell you-" Kakashi tried to say, but Sasuke continued.

"…But I won't ever resort to some cheap source of power to strengthen me." Sasuke finished, shocking Kakashi. Kakashi then smiled. Somehow, during this whole ordeal, Sasuke matured a little. He heard everything he had told Sakura and Kakashi was wondering what happened to the little uptight loner kid that Sasuke decided to abandon.

"I'm relieved to hear that Sasuke," Kakashi said truthfully. "But words are merely that. I need you to prove it to me, through your actions. Until you've proven your own strength, I'll have to take everything you say with a grain of salt.

"That's exactly what I want to hear from you, sensei." Sasuke said, once again surprising Kakashi. Sasuke doesn't usually refer to Kakashi as "sensei." Seriously, what happened to Sasuke during this mission?

"I'm ready to fight Itachi now." Sasuke said, putting all of Kakashi's thoughts to a halt.

"No, you are not." Kakashi said with finality.

"But I've fully matured my Sharingan!" Sasuke said in an irritated tone.

Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate from his left eye, revealing his own Sharingan. "So have I." He said. "And, guess where I ended up? In Konoha General, in a coma for a month after fighting with Itachi."

Sasuke was taken aback by what Kakashi said. The most powerful jounin he has ever met, defeated by his brother? How powerful was Itachi? Yet, despite Kakashi's revelation, Sasuke was not deter in the slightest. "Well, you aren't an Uchiha." Sasuke said. "Your Sharingan depletes your chakra faster than mine. You could barely use it for 15 minutes before exhausting yourself!"

"That is true." Kakashi admitted. "But you are still incapable of fighting Itachi. Even with your chakra preservation."

"I know I can kill him now!" Sasuke shouted. "Everything I've worked my entire life for has led me to this moment. I have to kill him now!" Sasuke clenched his fists in fury.

Kakashi sighed. The tomoe in his Sharingan began to morph, growing larger and having a more defined shape. The tomoe lengthened and extended to the very edge of his iris, then curved so that each point intersected with the edge of each tomoe. His Sharingan now looked like three sickles, connected together from his pupil. Sasuke's eyes widen at the sight of Kakashi's odd transformation, and briefly flashed back to Itachi's eyes. The moment he entered Itachi's Tsukuyomi, his Sharingan did not look like a normal three tomoe Sharingan. Suddenly, the leaf that Sasuke was holding onto disappeared in a distortion of space-time, astonishing Sasuke.

"W-when did you…" Sasuke said, his voice trembling.

"During the mission that I was assigned to the day after recovering from my coma." Kakashi answered. "I was fighting a S-rank missing-nin that had the upper hand, and just when I was about to kick the bucket, my Sharingan transformed. Before I knew it, half of his body disappeared and his legs began to squirt blood."

Sasuke was shocked silent. He was absolutely positive that he could fight Itachi, until Kakashi demonstrated a new form of the Sharingan, one that he was mostly unaware of. Maybe these were the eyes that Itachi was talking about when he said Sasuke should kill his best friend.

"Itachi wields the Mangekyō Sharingan. At your state, you will be killed almost instantaneously. If not, your brother would surely play with you psyche as he tortures you continuously for 72 hours using Tsukuyomi." Kakashi shuddered after remembering that experience. It's not one of his more favored moments, that is for sure. "I have the Mangekyō Sharingan now, but I'm afraid that I am not yet proficient with it. Itachi would kill me too, if we fought again. If you can't beat me in a spar, what makes you think, even with your Sharingan advantage, that you can kill Itachi?"

Sasuke could not utter a single word. If Kakashi, who has awoken the Mangekyō Sharingan, believes that he is no match for Itachi, what makes Sasuke think he can fight him now? Sasuke bit his lips in frustration; he was too hasty in his belief that he can fight Itachi. Unless he can somehow unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan, there is no way Sasuke can hope to outmatch his brother. It was a rude awakening for the avenger, who learned that his power was still insignificant.

_You must kill your closest friend._

Sasuke thought back again to those menacing words that Itachi left him before subjecting him to the horrors of the Tsukuyomi. It seemed to contradict what Kakashi had told him about unlocking the Mangekyō. Kakashi had somehow managed to unlock it in the direst of situations, when the circumstances called for it. He apparently did not need to kill his closest friend. Mentally, he breathed a sigh of relief. He did not have any desire to kill Naruto, so this alternative to gaining the Mangekyō was much preferred.

"So let me get this straight," Sasuke said. "You got your Mangekyō from a near-death experience, correct?"

"…Yes…" Kakashi said, afraid where this was going.

"So you don't need to kill your best friend to get it?" Sasuke asked curiously.

Kakashi's visible eye started to twitch as he recalled a traumatic experience in his life. He never thought he had to remember that horrible event. He still felt guilty about it, and it drove him to the edge of depression. He stood from his sitting position on Sasuke bed and faced away from Sasuke. "…I'm sorry, Sasuke…" Kakashi said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. "…you may be right…"

Sasuke couldn't believe what Kakashi had just said. If Kakashi said what Sasuke thought he just said, then does that mean he…

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but I don't want to talk about it right now. Maybe one day, when we are closer than we are now. I'll reveal to you the truth…about my Sharingan…" Kakashi said before he shunshin'd away from Sasuke's hospital room, leaving the perplexed genin utterly confused about this altercation.

'Dammit, how am I supposed to obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan now?' Sasuke wondered. Kakashi has hinted at being responsible for killing his best friend. Maybe that was how he got the Sharingan in his left eye? If so, does that mean that your best friend must be an Uchiha to obtain the Mangekyō? He hoped that was not the case, since everyone in the Uchiha clan is dead. Yet, it would explain how Itachi received his Mangekyō. Shortly before the Uchiha massacre, the body of Uchiha Shisui was discovered in a pond, with an apparent suicide note in his person. Yet, both of his eyes were missing, and Itachi was peculiarly silent throughout the whole investigation. If he indeed killed Shisui and wrote it off as a suicide, that would explain his Mangekyō. However, that doesn't explain the missing eyes from Shisui's body. For what end does Itachi need Shisui's eyes? All of this pondering was leading Sasuke to more and more unanswered questions.

There was the secret to the Mangekyō Sharingan to discover. Sasuke needed to know why Shisui's Sharingan was missing, and what exactly does Itachi have planned for it. He also needed to know how Kakashi killed his closest friend, and see if that relates to the Mangekyō at all. Yet, he was not going to get answers in this hospital. He was going to have to travel to find the answers he is searching for. And Sasuke knew which shrine he needed to go to in order to find his answers.

* * *

Naruto was resting with a huge grin pasted on his face. Plenty of people came around to see him: Kakashi, Tsunade, and Shikamaru to name a few. Even shy Hinata came over and talked with him a bit before checking on Kiba. Of course, she was red in her face, and Naruto was seriously concerned for her health, but Hinata seemed genuinely happy to see Naruto.

The most exiting aspect was when Sakura came over to visit Naruto. Naruto will never, ever forget that hug he got from Sakura for as long as he lived. That was probably the closest thing he got to intimate contact with the girl of his affections. He'll definitely ask Sakura out after leaving the hospital, believe it!

Sasuke was back in Konoha, and he seemed to be a different person. Before, he only cared about becoming stronger. Now, he was sincerely concerned about the lives of his teammates, especially Naruto's. He demonstrated that newfound concern during the battle with Kimimaro, and his subsequent talk as they lay on the grassy plains. Naruto was looking forward to fighting this reformed Sasuke; hell, he might even be a challenge.

As Naruto began to close his eyes to end one amazing day, a massive earthquake shook the foundations of the entire hospital. Frightened, Naruto immediately ducked under his bed, as was standard protocol for earthquakes and other natural disasters. When the tremors ceased, he got out from under the bed and went to the window to examine the damage caused by the quake. What he saw almost surprised him into falling flat on his face. An old man with long white hair and a large hairless wart on his left nostril was staring at him from a large toad. That explains the random earthquake.

"Ero Sennin!" Naruto shouted excitedly. He was very ecstatic that his sensei was here to visit him, even if it was in the most…unconventional of fashions. Immediately after calling out his sensei's moniker, all of the woman examining the windows closed it tightly and shut their blinds, hoping that the pervert would not try to sneak a look.

"Dammit you little brat, I told you not to call me that in public!" Jiraiya, the "Ero Sennin," told Naruto in frustrated hopelessness. It's become ritual at this point. Naruto will not cease calling the legendary Sannin an "erotic Sennin." Jiraiya just shrugged it aside, since he had more important things to discuss with Naruto. "Never mind that, I came to talk to you about an important matter."

Naruto could not stop jittering. He was just too excited about the potential news that Jiraiya was going to unveil.

"From now on, you are officially my apprentice." Naruto outstretched his fist and thrust it back to the side of his body in a sign of victory. He was thrilled beyond belief to be Jiraiya's apprentice. Jiraiya had a plethora of jutsu just waiting to be taught to Naruto, and Naruto was more than willing to learn them. He was celebrating so much that he almost missed the next tidbit of information Jiraiya delivered. "I will train you one-on-on for three years."

Naruto's arms slackened. Three years? That was a lot of time to be trained. He looked at Jiraiya with a stupefied looked slapped across his face.

"When I was investigating Orochimaru's 'Immortality Jutsu…' Information concerning 'Akatsuki' came to light." Jiraiya said. Naruto thought back to the two men wearing black cloaks with red clouds adorned on them. One of them was Uchiha Itachi, the man responsible for putting Naruto and Kakashi in a horrible genjutsu for quite some time. If Itachi had that kind of power, he was definitely no joke to deal with. Presumably, his partner with the fish face was no joke either. He needs to get stronger to even stand a chance against the "Akatsuki." But three years trying with Jiraiya? He just got Sasuke back, only to leave him again?

"Information?" Naruto asked seriously. Before making a decision, he needs to get all of the information he can possible receive. Otherwise, he would make a bad judgment call.

"They won't be after you…for at least three to four years from now." Jiraiya said with certainty.

Naruto remained silent. This was a huge opportunity to boost his skills and strength, as well as learn to control the Kyuubi. But, he would be leaving Sasuke and Sakura behind for this venture. He wanted to train with those two more than anything else in this world. So he needed more information.

"Ero Sennin, what exactly do you have in mind for this 3-year apprenticeship?" Naruto asked curiously.

"You know that I have to maintain my spy network, correct?" Jiraiya said, to which Naruto nodded his head. Jiraiya's spy network was vast and all encompassing, designed to watch over the actions of his former teammate Orochimaru. As such, he was rarely in the village for longer than 2 to 3 months before departing. He needed to maintain the effectiveness of his spy network, as well as verify the reliability of certain sources. "While we are travelling around training, you can acquaint yourself to my network and see how it's run. Also, you have an opportunity to visit places and meet people that you normally would not meet while trapped inside Konoha."

'Jiraiya does make some points.' Naruto thought, after reflecting on everything Jiraiya just told him. It's true: he had access to an opportunity that many would give to take. In spite of that, Naruto was not among the "many." He valued his friends more than he did trying to train with Jiraiya.

"Ero Sennin, your offer is amazing." Naruto began. "Fantastic even. Anyone would be a fool to not take it, ya know? I guess that would make me a fool then, because I'm gonna have to refuse."

Jiraiya was surprised. Naruto usually jumped at a chance to learn new jutsu and techniques. To refuse such an option was very uncharacteristic of him. Yet, they did not have room for negotiation. Akatsuki will make their move regardless of Naruto's decision today.

"Kid, I don't think you have much of a choice in this matter." Jiraiya said. "I already talked it over with Tsunade, and she agreed with me. While we are in the move, Akatsuki will find it difficult to target you, but over here you are a sitting duck."

"Tsunade-baachan was okay with this?" Naruto said, with irritation in his tone. "How could she do this? How could YOU do this?" Naruto was outraged right now. There were people who think they can decide what was best for Naruto's future? He was a shinobi of Konohagakure, and by extension an adult. He no longer needs anybody to dictate his life's direction. Besides, he never _had_ an adult to help dictate his life's direction.

"You little runt, do you realize the potential danger you are going to be if you refuse this offer?!" Jiraiya shouted in annoyance. Naruto was staunchly defiant in his stance, and he will not let up for a moment. He was now using his independence as a reason for remaining in Konoha.

"I do know, Ero Sennin." Naruto said, surprising Jiraiya with his response. "In case you forgot, I got my ass handed to me by Orochimaru in the Chuunin Exams. He's an S-rank criminal, if I recall correctly." His last comment was coupled with a roll of his eyes, indicating the sarcasm in his tone. "And if we haven't forgotten, I was placed in a coma by Itachi's Tsukuyomi. I may be a fool, but I'm not stupid. I know exactly what I'm up against, and I'm not gonna back down!"

"This is exactly the reason you need to be with me!" Jiraiya shouted, getting steadily angry with his student's stubborn refusal. "Not even the Yondaime was this adamant about refusing training!"

"I'm not the Yondaime," Naruto said. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Don't compare me against the man I'll be overcoming!" He put his thumb down to show that the Yondaime Hokage is going to be overdone.

'Geez, what am I gonna do with this brat, eh Minato?' Jiraiya wondered. 'Ya shoulda married a more reticent girl instead of that assertive red head…' Jiraiya sighed, not being let up by the 13 year old Jinchuuriki. "Is there any way that we can compromise?"

Naruto thought about it. He wanted to spend some time training with Sasuke. He knew that Sasuke wanted the same, since he was always about growing stronger to kill Itachi. So how can he spend time to grow stronger alongside Sasuke…the idea hit him after some thought. This was an idea that would satisfy both him and Jiraiya.

"I'll go with you on your training trip when I become a Chuunin. I'll take the next Chuunin Exam, and I will pass it! Believe it!" Naruto said with confidence.

"But that's another 6 months from now!" Jiraiya said in an almost defeated tone. "Sure, it's a reasonable compromise, but it will take time from our own individual training…"

"Then I'll make up for all the slack!" Naruto proclaimed. "By myself, I'll invent cooler jutsu! I'll become stronger, whether you're with me or not!"

Jiraiya placed his right hand under his chin in deep contemplation. Certainly, training for the Chuunin Exams would boost his skill by some amount. He could even ask Kakashi to start Elemental Training with the young brat. He was hoping to do that sometime after they returned from the 3 year trip. Better to begin on it now than prolong it, especially when he may have a use for it sooner than he thinks.

"Hmmm," Jiraiya said, after finishing his thoughts. "I'll take you up on your offer. But only if you can manage to knock me off my feet in a spar." Jiraiya said.

Naruto gasped. He knew that the challenge was going to be difficult beyond comprehension. Jiraiya was a one of the legendary Sannin, and the sensei of the Yondaime Hokage. He must have thought that Naruto was going to lose this challenge, and he would be forced to comply with his wishes.

"Heh," Naruto laughed. "Trying to scare me are ya? Well, I never back down from a challenge, and I won't start now! I'll take your ass down, and it's going down hard!"

"Good luck with that," Jiraiya retorted. "Meet me at Training Grounds 7 a day after you are discharged from the hospital. You should probably be packed before then, because I won't let you knock me to the ground."

"Got it," Naruto responded. He was not going to pack though, since he knew full and well that he was going to beat this challenge. After he defeats Jiraiya, he'll be forced to respect Naruto's wishes. That'll definitely bring him one step closer to his goal of becoming Hokage.

Despite that, Naruto knows he does not have the power to take down the gallant Jiraiya. As much as he would hate to admit it, he'll need the help of that ingrate Kyuubi. That's the only way he'll be able to match the speed and strength of the Sannin. Placing himself in a comfortable pose, Naruto closed his eyes and meditated. It's going to be tough (since Naruto can't stand still for longer than a couple of seconds) but he'll need to convince the Kyuubi to help him in his endeavor. He felt his consciousness slip from reality and transfer over to the realm of his mind…

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**Hey Y'all!**

**Thank you all very much for reading the 4th chapter of my fanfiction. Next update will officially mark _True Paths to Power's _one month anniversary. I am very excited to keep going from here, as I hope you guys are excited about the next update. Here are third week stats, and I am very, VERY proud of them: 12 Favorites, 21 Followers, 22 Reviewers, and 731 Views! Wow! 731 views in three weeks! I am really hoping that we can surpass 1000 views next week. I may or may not do a special for that milestone, so look forward to the next update!**

**The first part of the chapter was a basic rehash of Chapter 235 of Masashi Kishimoto's amazing manga. It was written to appease the fans of Kiba and Shikamaru, who thought that they were going to die in this fanfiction. Don't worry everyone. You'll know who will die and who will live in this fanfiction when the time comes. For now, kowtow to me every moment of your life for allowing your favorite character to live. muhahahahahah...MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**The next part is wholly original. It's the hospital scene with Sasuke. Sasuke is frustrated that he can't train right now, so he's doing the only thing he can do: chakra control. He wants to improve the duration of his Sharingan, so that it can be more useful during life-or-death battles. He does not want to deplete chakra rapidly to maintain the Sharingan, otherwise the curse mark will take over. The numbers for his personal records are random numbers I pulled out from my ass. Of course, as an Uchiha, his expenditure of chakra is minimal in order to maintain the Sharingan. But with training, he can further reduce the amount of Chakra necessary to keep the kekkei genkai active. That's why he kept it on during his conversation with Sakura. He was not trying to hypnotically suggest anything to the pink haired kunoichi (not like he needs too, she'll do almost anything he wants). But he prioritized his training over his relationships. He was also trying to be kind and considerate of his teammates, after reaching an epiphany during the battle with Kimimaro, so this is him.**

**I hope I did Sakura fan justice. I don't see her as a weak kunoichi. Just one that has skewed priorities. After almost losing Sasuke twice, Sakura is finally realizing her lack of initiative when it comes to her teammates. Naruto and Sasuke are working incredibly hard to grow even stronger, but Sakura is putting in the minimal effort to just barely survive. She now realizes this, and she wants to change that fact. Of course, Sasuke is happy that she's finally starting to make herself stronger, but this is something Sakura is doing for herself, not for Sasuke (surprisingly).**

**Kakashi is given depth here, showing his reluctance in discussing his past. Don't worry. He will open up to Sasuke at some point. He sees himself in Sasuke, and thus is more easily able to relate to the avenger more so than Sakura or even Naruto. This teacher-student relationship will be pivotal in the story, and is going to be more positive then canon Orochimaru/Sasuke relations. Sasuke is (most likely) not going to kill Kakashi after he deems him unfit to teach him anymore.**

**Naruto and Jiraiya. Honestly, I was going to have Naruto stay the entire 2 and a half years with Sasuke and Sakura. There are important scenes and battles coming up that I thought he would be good in. But, after some reflection, he is actually better off NOT in those scenes. So he will take some time to train with Jiraiya. But not before he becomes a Chuunin. Get ready for some explosive Naruto vs. Sasuke action in the coming chapters, and I look forward to doing a Chuunin Exams (albeit short and focusing on the battles).**

**Naruto is actually going to have different interactions with the Kyuubi this time around. Without Sasuke being taken under Orochimaru's wing, he is less inclined to be angry and hateful. As a result, he will not be entering the tailed beast state as often as he did in canon. Keep in touch and learn exactly how Naruto and the Kyuubi will have their relationship.**

**As usual, if you are interested in editing my works, please PM me. I wish to provide you with better quality works, and if I have an editor, I can do such things. My real life friends (1 actually, I much rather prefer to be a lone wolf than a social cat) are too busy with their own lives, and even then their writing skills are below my own (not trying to be arrogant here). **

**Now for questions**

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**Q: Is there gonna be SasuSaku?**

**A: Yes, but its going to be limited. It's not going to be heavily romantic, as Sasuke is not the type of person that prioritize romance over training and gaining strength. However, he's going to want to deepen the bonds he made with Sakura and Naruto, since he values their camaraderie now more than ever. You saw exactly what he said to Sakura this chapter. Besides, I do have plans for the pair that is pivotal to the plot.**

**Q: Will Sasuke master the curse mark and use it in battle like getting it purified so he can store his own chakra into it like Tsunade does for her healing technique?**

**A: I don't have plans for Sasuke to use and master the curse mark. His new nindo goes against the use of foreign powers to increase his own. As such, he will be reluctant to use Orochimaru's mark. Sasuke has to overcome this deterrent in order to become stronger, and his struggle against the dark whispers of the Curse Mark are going to play an important role in the story (you know, I realized I've been saying that a lot in these Author's Notes. Point being, EVERYTHING will be important for the plot in the long run).**

**Q: Will he also learn Kirin?**

**A: He will be having Elemental Training. I do not believe that the Elemental Training he will be receiving is that sophisticated, however. Orochimaru was a prodigy when it came to elemental manipulations, so he was able to teach Sasuke the necessary requirements for the creation of Kirin. Kakashi knows a lot of elemental jutsu. However, his knowledge comes from the fact that he's copied these jutsu into his repetoire vs. actually creating them. So Kakashi does not actually have the knowledge or skill base to help Sasuke lead to Kirin. That being said, he will be expanding his Chidori technique, learning more Raiton and Katon jutsu, and learn a new element. Don't worry, you'll find out what element he'll learn later.**

**Q: Are Shika and Kiba gonna die? Or just one of them?**

**A: This chapter answers this question.**

**Q: Was that Tobi/Obito near the end? And he's with a girl OC? (Referring to Chapter 2)**

**A: I won't spoil anything, but the answers are in the reading. Yes, he is with a girl OC. The OC is designed to provide the mysterious masked man with more depth to his character. She will not be monotonous, as she does have her own unique personality. She's also afflicted with a mental disorder. I'll let you figure out what that disorder is. That's all I have to say about the two for now.**

**Q: Generic ninja weapon you're using for this fic? (Referring to questions asked about Sasuke's kenjutsu)**

**A: I thought the weapon would be generic for the Uchiha, but I guess I was wrong. However, Sasuke will not be focusing on kenjutsu for this story. Sorry for all the Yuugao fans who were hoping for interaction with Sasuke and possible YuuSas action. Besides, she's still emotionally distraught after Gekko Hayate's death. Dammit girl, how long are you going to wallow in sorry?**

**Q: Are you going to be different from canon strength as well..?**

**A: Yes. SPOILER: I plan on having Sasuke weaker in this story than in canon by the time the Shippuden arc occurs. Why? He learns more from Orochimaru then he will in Konoha. Orochimaru had sooooooo much to teach to Sasuke, and Sasuke absorbed it all like a sponge. He made soooooo many variations of Chidori, learned Kirin and manipulates natural lightning, can freely use Curse Mark Stage 2 without the negative repercussions, and is adept with kenjutsu and the Sword of Kusanagi. That's a fucking resume right there! In Konoha, he can only learn so much without being limited by his rank and age. He's going to be slightly stunted. However, that doesn't make Sasuke actually weaker than canon. Sasuke will be learning smooth team cohesion as he works more closely with Naruto and Sakura. Together, with Team 7, he'll be far more stronger than he ever was alone. True Paths to Power, after all.  
**

**Naruto, on the other hand, will have very limited access to the Kyuubi and his reserve of chakra. He will have different interactions with the Kyuubi no Kitsune, but because he does not need to get angry or hate as strongly, due to Sasuke's being in Konoha, he'll have to rely on himself to grow stronger. Don't worry. I do plan on making Naruto really powerful (not uber-mega-op-'I can kill everyone in Akatsuki in one fell swoop'-ultra powerful) and he will be able to keep up with Sasuke's growth. Hope you enjoyed a taste to what I have to offer.**

**Q: Is kiba dead?**

**A: The mutt ain't dead yo.**

**Q: Will Sakura still be trained by Tsunade?**

**A: Yes. She realizes her own limits and wishes to surpass them so that she is no longer a burden to Sasuke and Naruto. She will be going on missions with the two for the 6 months they have training for the Chuunin Exams, and it will demonstrate her progress.**

* * *

**NOTE: Thanks to ddreamer9159 for point out a little mistake on my story. I mistook Killing Intent for Killer Instinct. I feel so good right now. Not.**

* * *

**Thank you all for the positive feedback and all of the questions. I look really forward to updating again next Monday. Check with me again on Wednesday for the next chapter of _Finding Conviction, _and I'll see you all on May 15, 2013 for _Redemption._**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/6/2013 11:27AM EST**


	5. Curse of Hatred

**Chapter 5: Curse of Hatred**

Tsunade was finishing paperwork on the "Sasuke Retrieval" mission. It was deemed an A-rank mission, and all participants would be paid the appropriate amount. She needed to organize the casualties, fatalities, enemy combatants, their skill sets, and other information into a folder, where it would be stored in mission archives for the remainder of Konoha's existence.

Other than the gruesome casualties that were miraculously healed, the mission went exceptionally well. All the genin (with the exception of Shikamaru, who was a green Chuunin) fought against, and defeated, shinobi with jounin comparable abilities.

Akimichi Chouji fought against Jiroubou, a mêlée based shinobi with the ability to absorb chakra from his opponents. Although Chouji was forced to eat the Red Chili Pill, he was able to subdue his opponent, preventing him from resuming the chase for the others.

Hyuuga Neji was pitted with Kidoumaru, a long-range based shinobi with six arms. Kidoumaru was able to secrete a unique adhesive substance imbued with chakra, making any combatant caught with it unable to escape. Neji was the ideal person to fight against Kidoumaru, since he was able to release chakra from any and all of his tenketsu points.

Inuzuka Kiba rumbled with the leader of the Sound Four, Sakon. Sakon was a Siamese twin with the ability to call forth his brother, Ukon, to battle with him. Essentially, fighting Sakon equated to fighting a double battle. Kiba and Akamaru were the best combination to fight against Sakon, since their teamwork was unrivaled in the group of genin. Yet, despite that, they had difficulty holding Sakon off on their own. If Kankuro did not arrive in time, Kiba would have been killed in action.

Nara Shikamaru faced off against Tayuya, who held the casket holding Sasuke's body. She was a genjutsu user who manipulated the senses of her opponents using sound. She also could control her summons, three unique Doki, with her flute. In the end, it was a stalemate, where Shikamaru struggled against a Stage Two Tayuya over control from his Kage-Kubishibari no Jutsu. Like Kiba, Shikamaru was saved from death's door with Temari's intervention.

Finally, Uzumaki Naruto had confronted Kimimaro over the casket containing Uchiha Sasuke's body. Kimimaro had the Shikotsumyaku kekkei genkai, allowing him versatile usage of all of his bones as weapons. Kimimaro's unique taijutsu style also flowed with his kekkei genkai, making him a difficult opponent for Naruto to fight alone. It took the teamwork of Naruto, Rock Lee, and Sasuke to defeat the final member of Orochimaru's former Sound Five.

Tsunade leaned on her chair. She was grateful that the genin was able to deal a crippling blow to Orochimaru's schemes. Not only did they rescue Sasuke from his clutches, they also killed some of his most competent commanding officers. Orochimaru just cannot simply operate after such a failed attempt. Tsunade realized that he will be inactive for the next couple of years, and will most likely not move until the end of 3 years, when he is preparing to enter a new body. Orochimaru is not going to be the only person building arms for the next 3 years. When the time comes for Orochimaru to strike back, Konoha will be ready.

"Hokage-sama, the genin of Sunagakure are ready to meet with you," Shizune told Tsunade.

"Alright, let them in." Tsunade replied.

The three genin walked into Tsunade's office. Gaara was front in center, his vibrant red tattoo the second most distinctive feature of his face. People will most likely notice the bags around his eyes before his tattoo of the kanji "Love." Even though Gaara has managed to control and subdue Shukaku (with a little help from Jiraiya, the seal master), the bags were a sign of chronic insomnia that will last him his entire life.

To his left was his older brother, Kankuro. Kankuro wore a black hoody with two spikes at the top of his head. He had purple face paint marking his entire face, typical of Suna puppeteers. On his back, he was carrying his signature puppet, Karasu, which was covered around combat wraps.

To Gaara's right was Temari, the eldest of the Sand siblings. She was a blonde that had her hair tied in 4 spiky ponytails. She wore a lavender blouse with a breast guard, and a matching lavender miniskirt with fishnet shorts underneath. On her back (apparently all of the Sand siblings carried something on their backs) was her massive Tessen, her primary weapon of choice.

"Ah, welcome. Hope you enjoyed your stay in Konoha so far." Tsunade said to the three children.

"It's been most fruitful, Hokage-sama." Gaara said. The siblings have chosen Gaara to be the designated speaker of the group, since both Kankuro and Temari were nervous around authority.

"Once again, on behalf of Konoha, I would like to thank you for your assistance in retrieving Sasuke from Orochimaru." Tsunade said. She was genuinely grateful that Gaara and his siblings chose to help rescue Sasuke from Orochimaru. She was uncertain that Suna would still hold grudges for their botched attack several months ago. But Gaara seemingly jumped at the opportunity of saving Sasuke's life.

"Think nothing of it, Hokage-sama." Gaara replied. "I owed a debt of gratitude to Uzumaki Naruto, so when I heard that Uchiha Sasuke was kidnapped, I did not think twice about my response."

"Naruto's really that special to you?" Tsunade asked.

"Uzumaki Naruto was the person who saved me from myself." Gaara responded. Both Kankuro and Temari nodded in agreement. Gaara was not the same bloodthirsty maniac that he was in the Chuunin Exams. He had undergone a dramatic change of heart. "Uzumaki Naruto was the person who showed me the true value of love and companionship. He showed me that his desire to protect his friends and comrades was indeed true strength, unlike what I previously believed."

"Naruto definitely has that effect on people." Tsunade said, reminiscing when Naruto had saved her from her depression. The kid truly was an enigma.

"I had also hoped to save Uchiha Sasuke from the path of hatred." Gaara continued. "When we fought months ago, all I could see in his eyes were animosity. He was the same as me, and I felt that it was only proper that I helped him overcome his darkness." Gaara closed his eyes and smiled. "…But it would appear that I was too late in that. Uzumaki Naruto was the one to save Sasuke from himself."

Tsunade turned her chair to look out the window. The Hokage Monument was visible from where Hokage Tower was at. The faces of her grandfather, grand uncle, her sensei, and her predecessor, all stared towards the horizon. She was still unused to her sculpted face on the Monument, but it was truly a welcome sight for the citizens of Konoha.

Yet, she was not looking particularly at any of the faces. She was looking at the blank area to the left of her face. That area would soon be the site of a sculpting project, designed to immortalize the Rokudaime Hokage. It was not a stretch to say that Naruto has what it takes to get his whiskered face on that monument someday. Just like his father before him.

"You know, Naruto is going to go places in the future." Tsunade said. "He has the charisma and insight of a true leader. His ideals are just and benevolent, and his character is lovable. Not only that, he just never gives up, even when the odds are against his favor, and he always seems to make it to the top despite insurmountable opposition." She turned her chair around to face the sand siblings. "I hope that he is the one that will lead our two villages towards continued peace and friendly relations."

"I, too, hope that as well." Gaara replied. "In fact, I hope that he and I are the ones to negotiate the futures of our two homes."

"Wait…does that mean…?" Tsunade said, surprised at the possible revelation that Gaara is about to speak of.

"Yes it does, Hokage-sama. I plan to lead my village to prosperity as the Godaime Kazekage." As if on cue, both Temari and Kankuro straightened themselves out and looked sternly at Tsunade. "I know that people in my village used to look at me as a monster, a weapon of mass destruction. Yet, in spite of all the bigotry that surrounds my person, I will lead my people to a brighter future. Uzumaki Naruto's dream will be my dream also; his source of power will be my source of power. With the help of my siblings, I'm positive that I can make my village recognize my abilities as a leader. I only ask for your support in my endeavor."

"After what you've done for our village today, you have my utmost support and approval." Tsunade said with a smile on her face. "I look forward to the day I can call you Kazekage-sama."

"One last thing. Please do not mention my intentions to Uzumaki Naruto. I hope that I can surprise him with my ascension. I am certain that he will be annoyed from the beginning, but he will ease up to idea of me being Kazekage. I also hope that my ascension will positively motivate him to work harder at achieving his dreams." Gaara told Tsunade.

"My lips are shut tight." Tsunade said. The siblings all took a respective bow and exited Tsunade's office. Once again, she turned to face the window. This time she looked towards the direction of Sunagakure. The future was looking bright for that village.

* * *

_Unknown Location_

Naruto opened his eyes. What he saw was not exactly what he expected. The last time he visited his mindscape, he was in a decrepit old sewer, filled knee-high in water. Yet, he was not in a sewer; he was in forest.

Naruto was walking on a creek of fresh flowing water. It was knee-high, just like in the sewer. But unlike in the sewer, there were actual fish swimming in the water. Naruto questioned how exactly other creatures besides him and the Kyuubi can exactly live in his mindscape. He heard the chirping of birds and the buzzing of various insects. He saw toads near the creek that were trying to catch flies with their tongues. He even saw some foxes hunting after small rabbits.

In his peripheral, the edges were abundant in large trees. These trees were lush with green leaves and vines surrounding the trunks. Birds often flew out of those trees as they searched for food or other mates.

This all seemed very weird to Naruto. His mindscape was now an entire ecosystem, with living animals participating in the struggle of life. It was even sunny outside. He did not think light could enter his subconscious mind.

Everything was too…serene. Peaceful. If he closed his eyes, the sounds of nature would entice him into a tranquil state of mind. The water flowing between his legs made him feel at ease with the world he was in. He could get used to this.

After walking some time, feeling the current of water through his legs, he managed to come across a massive barred gate. Instead of being made out of cold steel, this gate was created from overlapping trees and shrubbery. The bars themselves were wooden and asymmetrical, but they seemed far sturdier than the former iron bars of the sewers. The only thing that did not change was the large kanji for "Seal" plastered on the front of the gate.

While walking to his tenant, he noted that a group of foxes were also following his every move. He, at first, thought that the foxes marked him as their next prey. But that was not the case as they did nothing but follow him as he reached the gate. Upon the arrival of Naruto and the group of foxes, they all sat from where they stood and faced the gate. It was like the foxes were expecting a message from their exalted leader, the Kyuubi no Kitsune.

The Kyuubi was rather fond of the attention of his new fox subordinates. Naruto could not recognize it, but the Kyuubi was smiling at the sight of his little cubs. When he turned to face Naruto, the facial expression transformed into deep scorn and hatred. He stared into Naruto's cerulean eyes with his cold, dark, slit crimson eyes.

"What the hell did you do to this place?" Naruto asked, surprising the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi was baffled at the fact that Naruto had no idea about the inner workings of his own subconscious.

"**What the hell did I do to this place?**" the Kyuubi retorted in a sarcastic tone. "**I have no control over what you think and your personal state of being, as much as I would like to.**"

"You mean to say that this forest is not your doing?" Naruto asked.

The Kyuubi sighed. It appears that would have to explain a few things before the real topic can be discussed.

"**My prison is a reflection of your deepest desires and thoughts.**" The Kyuubi said, stunning Naruto. "**The reason why it was a cesspool was because in your subconscious mind, you've always hated everyone and everything.**"

"Me…H-hate?" Naruto said stuttering. He took a few steps back before tripping and falling on his back in the water. "No, you're lying! I would never hate anyone!"

Just then, the serenity of the forest transformed into a dinky, cold, dark sewer. All of the wildlife had disappeared, leaving a lifeless, mundane sewer system in its wake. Naruto looked everywhere to see what happened to his serenity and tranquility, but the sewer he hated so much had returned.

"This..this can't be…" Naruto said.

"**But it is so.**" The Kyuubi responded. Shortly afterward, the sewers transformed back into the peaceful, beautiful forest that Naruto (and even the Kyuubi) had come to appreciate. "**WHERE IS YOUR HATRED!**" the Kyuubi demanded to know. He slammed his left paw onto the creek, causing it to ripple violently at the force.

Naruto was terrified at the displayed might of the Kyuubi. But he knew that, so long as the seal remained intact, the Kyuubi could do nothing to harm him. He stood straight and proud, and stared the Kyuubi back into his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about, you stupid fox!" The foxes, fully comprehending the conversation, took offense at their leader being called stupid. They began to snarl at Naruto, much to his flinching displeasure. The Kyuubi laughed at the sight, which surprised Naruto; the Kyuubi never laughed. Soon, the Kyuubi got back to his serious demeanor and spoke.

"**Don't you understand, you foolish mortal?**" The Kyuubi asked Naruto in a mocking fashion. "**All of your life, you have been harboring hatred. You've been holding all of your hatred back, and it culminated into the form of my former cell, when we first met. All of your hate, grief, isolation. All of the negative emotions you've felt gave rise to the sewers that you know so well.**" The Kyuubi's face got very aggravated after making that statement. "**But now it's all gone!** **What did you do? Where is all of your hatred?!**"

Naruto thought about what the Kyuubi had just told him. Maybe he was secretly fostering all of his disdain. He loathed when the villagers glared at him darkly. He detested when they scorned and ridiculed him, calling him a "Demon Brat," or "murderer." At first, he did not know why he was ostracized so cruelly by his villagers. He had done nothing to hurt them in the slightest, yet they did not accept him. They hated him, wanted to see him dead beneath their feet. They always formed lynch mobs on his birthday and persecuted him; beat him until the very edge of his life. If it wasn't for ANBU intervention, he surely would have died 6 times over.

Maybe he _was_ harboring hatred towards the villagers. If that was the case, then why did he feel so…at ease? Why could he not find a single strand of hatred within himself?

"I…I…don't know…" Naruto hesitantly said. "I never thought of myself as the hateful type. I used to shrug those glares aside. I never thought I would let them get to me."

"**But you did.**" The Kyuubi grinned. "**You allowed their hurtful comments to dissuade you. You let their glares consume your soul. Hate them, runt. They don't deserve your mercy or your pity.**"

The background was once again changing into the dysfunctional sewers. Naruto grabbed his head trying to tune out the demonic whisperings of the detestable fox. But everything that the fox had said was true. The villagers had hated him. They mocked him, ridiculed him, ostracized him, stigmatized him, and attacked him. Anything they could do to demean him in the place of killing him was fair game for these ungrateful bastards. Why shouldn't he despise them for what they have done to him?

_I…er…kinda sorta…maybe think of you as…uh…a best friend…a little…er…_

As he was thinking about the treatment he had received from the villagers, Sasuke's announcement nonchalantly brought itself into his thoughts. Naruto had sought the recognition of his greatest rival throughout the time they were in Team 7. It meant more to him than anything the villagers could muster. Now that he had earned that recognition, nothing that the villagers could possibly say can deter him in the slightest. He will keep getting stronger, and no one is going to stop him from realizing his dreams.

The mindscape changed back into the calm forest. The ambiance of wildlife echoed throughout his subconscious, as the Kyuubi and Naruto stood silent. Finally, Naruto clenched his fists tightly and stared deep into the crimson eyes of the demonic fox.

"I know why I no longer feel any hatred." Naruto said. "You're right, baka-fox. It's not fair that the villagers treated me the way they did. I was unsure what caused them to be the way they were to me. I tried to seek their attention by doing silly pranks. Anything, really, to get people to recognize me. But nothing worked."

He released the grip he had on his fists, and his gaze softened a little. "It took Mizuki's pummeling to finally get Iruka-sensei's recognition. My team had to fight Kakashi-sensei to get him to acknowledge our potential. I had to beat Haku to earn his and Zabuza's respect. I defeated Neji, the genius of the Hyuuga clan, to finally earn the acknowledgment of him and some people of the village."

He took a deep breath. He was nearing the point of his rant. "All of those people, I needed to prove my worth in order to gain their recognition. But there was only one person I sought after the most. The person that truly inspired me to grow stronger."

Flashbacks of Sasuke and Naruto played rapidly within the mindscape. The Kyuubi was startled at this sudden change in atmosphere. He saw Naruto and Sasuke as they met each other on that hill days after the Uchiha massacre. He saw Naruto's growing jealousy over Sasuke's skills and talents. He saw how Naruto struggled to match up to Sasuke's level. He saw them facing opposite directions, back to back. And he saw them looking into each other's eyes. Not with malice or spite but with admiration and respect. Their hands gripped tightly, symbolizing the deep bond they have forged through the fires of combat.

"The people who hate me can never take away the bonds that I have created!" Naruto shouted, slamming his fist on the gate. "They can never take away the acknowledgement that I've gained through my sweat and blood!" He looked at his left hand, and then swung it in a 90 degree arc to emphasize his point. "Sasuke's recognition made me realize all this. I worked my entire life to finally mean something to someone, and I won't let anyone take it away! I won't submit to anything as petty as hatred and spite anymore!" He looked at the fox one last time, his eyes glowing with a vibrant determination. "I won't let your hatred consume me either. You know, while we live together, I'll do something about your hatred too."

Naruto's final statement had a visible effect on the Kyuubi. His eyes were twitching at the sheer amount of fortitude that Naruto's words carried with it. The Kyuubi knew that, at this point, he could do nothing to persuade him to give into his darkest thoughts.

"I don't think I can become Hokage yet." Naruto said, surprising the Kyuubi. What happened to the resolve he had just earlier displayed? "I won't become Hokage until I make you admire my abilities."

The Kyuubi laughed. "**That's a lot of bold talk, coming from a mortal welp.** **I am the living incarnation of hatred. Your words won't compel me, and your ideals strike me as feeble and weak. You are nothing but a frail little child that runs to me to get the power he needs to defeat his enemies. Admit it, you are nothing without me.**"

"I'll admit it." Naruto said, once again shocking the Kyuubi. "I could not have possibly come this far without your help. Whether I like it or not, you have saved my ass more times than I can bargain for. That doesn't mean that I'm weak. I'm plenty strong myself. But together, we can surpass our individual limits. Recognize me, Kyuubi, and give me your strength!"

The Kyuubi actually took some time to think about Naruto's words. It was not like the Kyuubi was not observing Naruto's actions. In fact, the Kyuubi was a little impress by the feats the runt had accomplished on his own, through absolute grit and determination. The Kyuubi could not argue against Naruto; the kid _is _plenty strong on his own, and he's proven it on numerous occasions.

"**Bah, humans such as yourself are petty and insignificant.**" The Kyuubi said after some contemplation. "**There is no need for me to be frighten off by the pathetic, idealistic dreams of a child whose head is stuck in the clouds. Still, your words do boast some strength in itself…very well then. I will give you a minor fraction of my power. Prove to me you have the ability to make your dreams a reality. Then, and only then will I…remotely consider…recognizing your worth, rat.**"

A stream of red chakra flowed from the Kyuubi's massive body through the seal and was absorbed by Naruto. Naruto subsequently began to change into more feral and bestial features. His canines lengthened and sharpened, and the whisker marks on his cheeks became bold and enlarged. His cerulean eyes turned crimson, and his round pupils narrowed. His fingernails began to extend and curve and started to look like claws.

Naruto exerted pressure via his chakra in large pulses. Waves of vermilion chakra extended from a center point at Naruto's navel area and physically disrupted the environment surrounding him. Feeling the power radiating from within, he released a chakra enhanced roar, fluttering some birds perched on the trees. His voice was deepened and enhanced, matching the untamed aspects of the Kyuubi's chakra influence.

* * *

_Konoha General Hospital, Konohagakure no Sato_

From the hospital bed, Naruto observed and tested his own body. He was not seriously injured during the Kimimaro fight, so he was free to be discharged the following morning. Jumping out of his bed, Naruto began to do a series of stretches to unwind his body from a week of lackadaisical activities.

After warming his body up, Naruto decided to check and see what effects the Kyuubi's chakra had granted him. The Kyuubi allotted a finite reservoir of chakra for Naruto to use. Although this reservoir was about one-one thousandth of the amount of chakra the Kyuubi himself contained, it was still a staggering amount for any normal person.

Naruto tapped into this reservoir slightly. Watching his hands, he saw his fingernails enlarge once again, similarly to his transformation in the mindscape. He focused his mind. Soon, the claws shrunk back to his normal nails. Focusing his mind once more, he was able to expand and contract his nails at will.

"Thank you, Kyuubi." Naruto said in a silent whisper. "I won't let you down."

* * *

_Naka Shrine, Konohagakure no Sat_o

After a week in the hospital, Sasuke was finally discharged to his home in the abandoned Uchiha Clan Compound. His left arm was in a cast and the medic ninja told him that he would need 6 weeks to fully recover his arm. Although it aggravated him a great deal (as he could not efficiently train during that time), he had no choice but to resign to his unfortunate fate. Of course, this minor setback would not deter him from getting _any_ training done.

For now, Sasuke travelled to the Naka Shrine, located on top of the highest hill in the Uchiha Estate. Years ago, the Naka Shrine used to be the gathering place for all of the Uchiha for festivals and worship. It was a peaceful locale, and the priests were very kind and considerate. Sasuke and Itachi would often climb the hill to play together at Naka Shrine.

No. Sasuke needed to erase all the happy memories he had of Itachi. Itachi was a ruthless, cold-blooded murderer who annihilated his entire clan. He killed men, women, children and the elderly. Priests and pregnant mothers were not spared his mercy as he brutally slaughtered everyone he had ever held dear. Itachi was thoroughly indiscriminate. Infants and toddlers were not even spared. Only Sasuke. All for "testing his own abilities."

Sasuke was not here to recollect the past. He was here to gather more information on the Mangekyō Sharingan. The next level of the Sharingan's evolution was an enigma; Kakashi claims to have activated it in pitch battle, but hesitated when Sasuke asked about his closest friends. He honestly did not want to kill Naruto. His newfound appreciation of Naruto's friendship was budding, and he did not want to lose it for a selfish pursuit of power. He needed to verify the true path to the Mangekyō; otherwise he will stand no chance against Itachi.

After some time climbing the hill, he arrived at the Naka Shrine. The shrine was filled with religious idols and figurines, including magatamas and other ornaments. Due to lack of usage, small critters and rodents found a nice shelter from the rain and snow of Konohagakure. Spider webs were abundant in crevices and corners of walls, and chewed holes in Tatami mats were everywhere.

The only Tatami mat that was spared the fate of gradual decay was the seventh mat located in the far right of the small shrine. After staring at that mat for a few seconds, Sasuke remembered the words that Itachi told him years back.

_"At the Temple of the Naka Shrine, on the far right side, under the seventh Tatami mat is the clan's secret meeting place." Itachi told Sasuke in cold indifference. "There, you will find what purpose the dōjutsu of the Uchiha clan originally served. The real secret is written there." _

It was fitting that the seventh mat was untouched. It seemed to be radiating a unique chakra pulse. Sasuke removed the Tatami mat to uncover some stairs that lead to an undisclosed basement area of the Shrine. Sasuke had travelled to this area before, when he was 8 years old. Inside the basement was a large, ancient stone tablet. The tablet was unreadable at the beginning, since Sasuke did not have his Sharingan. Now, Sasuke has a fully matured, three tomoe Sharingan and can decipher the tablet.

He activated the Sharingan. Just like he thought, the tablet now contained a message. The tablet was unreadable to all those who did not have Sharingan. That meant that only Uchiha (and Kakashi) could actually read the full contents of this primordial memento. Sasuke began to read, curious of what information the tablet contained.

_To all those reading this stone tablet, _

_My name is Uchiha Madara._

Sasuke's eyes widened at the mention of the name. Madara was the ancestor of the Uchiha and one of the co-founders of Konohagakure no Sato. He was a revered idol among the Uchiha, and his name brought fear and terror to the eyes of opponents. What kind of message did he leave for future Uchiha?

_If you are reading this tablet, then you must have awakened your Sharingan. I must commend you on awakening your Sharingan. I also wish to express my deepest sympathies._

Express his deepest sympathies? Sasuke thought the Sharingan was activated under the stress of combat. There is no need to warrant sympathy if one had managed to survive the heat of battle.

_We of the Uchiha clan are bound by the Curse of Hatred. It all began with the Rikudō Sennin._

Rikudō Sennin? The Sage of the Six Paths? Sasuke always thought that was myth. It was a fairy tale his mother use to recite during the evenings to lull Sasuke into slumber.

_The Uchiha and the Senju are direct descendants of the Rikudō Sennin. Our hatred stems from the Rikudō Sennin's decision to choose the younger of his two sons as the successor to his power. We the Uchiha are descendants of the older of the two sons, and we inherited the "eyes" of the Rikudō Sennin, while the Senju inherited the "body." The Rikudō Sennin "eyes" eventually molded itself into the Sharingan, the Uchiha clan's prominent kekkei genkai._

Well, that certainly was an interesting origins story. Yet, it did not describe how one can awaken the Sharingan.

_The method to gaining the Sharingan is ironic, considering the ideals of the eldest son. The eldest son believed that power was the key to obtaining true peace. In a sense, I too believe that is the right course of action. Humans are foolish, arrogant, ungrateful, and destructive. Only by forcibly submitting to the whims of a more powerful figure, can we truly suppress the violent urges of man._

_Yet, despite our views of power, in order to awaken our Sharingan, an Uchiha must feel emotions relating to the loss of a close companion._

Sasuke could not believe this. No, it had to be a lie. Sasuke awakened his Sharingan during the middle of his bout against Haku. There was no possible way he was feeling any negative emotion concerning the loss of a comrade. He and Naruto were fighting to survive!

_It's a widely held misconception that one must be battle-tried to awaken the Sharingan. I've fought and killed many Senju in my time before I managed to awaken the Sharingan. It was only when I broke the bonds with my closest friend, Senju Hashirama, that I was able to actually awaken my Sharingan._

Sasuke still could not believe it. Breaking bonds? Losing loved ones? Why does the method for gaining true power have to be so dark? Why must the Uchiha be burdened with such fate? Sasuke then thought about Kakashi. How much did he have to lose before he fully matured his Sharingan?

_Once the Sharingan is awakened, then and only then can you boost the power and fully mature it through experience. But to first obtain the Sharingan, one must experience loss that is overwhelming. That is why I feel the need to sympathize with you. Hashirama was a true friend to me. We both desired peace immensely, but we simply did not see eye to eye. Hashirama feeble-mindedly believed that love and trust was the true recourse towards peace. He cannot see that human beings are all unique and individual. People cannot share opinions without first exerting their own. Our individuality is the primary reason for our conflict, and Hashirama simply does not see this blatant fact._

_His brother Senju Tobirama is the ideal example. Although Hashirama desired peace talks with the Uchiha, Tobirama was firmly against negotiating with those he saw "undesirable" and "bastardly." He did not truly believe that the Uchiha and the Senju can get along. I fear that, if history continues to move along the path it is currently moving through, Tobirama will eventually become the Nidaime Hokage, and he will ostracize us further._

This sounds all too familiar to Sasuke. Yes, this was indeed the history of the Uchiha clan. Tobirama did become the Nidaime Hokage and he did isolate the Uchiha into a separate estate away from the busiest districts of Konoha. He also limited the Uchiha to merely joining the Konoha Military Police. They were not able to pursue other governmental related jobs outside of their own estate. This prophecy was highly accurate for someone that abandoned Konoha far before Tobirama ascended to his position.

_I digress. The Sharingan is linked to the Uchiha's Curse of Hatred. We are bound to feel intense, negative emotions against those who harmed our loved ones._

_There is an evolution of the Sharingan. Unfortunately, that evolution is also connected with the Curse of Hatred._

Finally, the information that Sasuke was seeking. The key to obtaining the Mangekyō Sharingan.

_It is called the Mangekyō Sharingan. My brother and I were the first to unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan in the history of the Uchiha clan. The Mangekyō is unique to the beholder, granting the user exclusive powers and abilities. My left Mangekyō, for instance, granted me the power to use Tsukuyomi, the most powerful genjutsu in the world, able to manipulate time for the target. The target may feel like he was in Tsukuyomi for several days, weeks, months, or even years. But in reality, only a couple of seconds have passed for the target._

Alright, that makes a lot of sense. If Madara had awakened Tsukuyomi with his Mangekyō, Sasuke may learn a little about Itachi's own Mangekyō Sharingan. Know your enemy and know yourself, and you need not fear the results of one thousand battles, after all.

_My right Mangekyō granted me the power of Amaterasu, the unquenchable black flames. Amaterasu burns anything on sight and the flames continue to burn for days on end, or unless I command the flames to halt. The flames can even burn in conditions were fire cannot be created. It can burn on top of pools of water, and in oxygen-deprived areas._

That was some power right there. Itachi actually has this ability? Amaterasu seems like an extraordinary offensive based ninjutsu. Can Sasuke really beat Itachi when he has the ability to burn anything on sight?

_By awakening Tsukuyomi on my left eye and Amaterasu on my right, I gained access to the most powerful ability that the Mangekyō could offer._ _Susanoo. Susanoo is an ethereal warrior summoned in order to protect the wielder of the Mangekyō. It is the ultimate defense. Nothing short of the most powerful ninjutsu or taijutsu can get passed the ultimate defense of Susanoo. If Susanoo has a more complete form, it can be used offensively as well. Susanoo is the definitive trump card of the Mangekyō._

Now that thought was utterly terrifying. Itachi has possession of Susanoo? Just how much power does Itachi truly have because of his Mangekyō?

_Of course, wielding the Mangekyō comes with a price. The more you use it, the faster you will deteriorate your eyesight. Eventually, you will lose all sight, unable to even use even the basic form of Sharingan. This price can be offset. I will not explain it here, however._

So the Mangekyō has a weakness? That's very fortunate to know. At least Sasuke knows now that Itachi is not some nigh invincible mega fortress. On the other hand, there is a counterbalance to this weakness. Itachi must know how to get it, though. He came to the Naka Shrine far before Sasuke did. How can you eliminate the weakness of the Mangekyō?

_Now that you know a taste of the power of the Mangekyō, it's time to explain how to obtain it. Because the Mangekyō is linked with the Curse of Hatred, in order to gain that power, one must feel intense emotions towards the loss of a loved one. The requirements are specific, however. An Uchiha must truly feel the emotions of losing their most precious person. Their closest friend or family. Only then does one awaken the Mangekyō. _

Feel the emotions of losing your closest companion? Sasuke was slightly relieved that he did not have necessarily kill his best friend. But it is still such a heavy requirement. Did Shisui's death affect Itachi in such a way? This revelation almost makes Itachi seem…human. If Itachi had to feel sorrow and grief to obtain the Mangekyō, why did he have to kill everyone in the Uchiha clan? Something was not adding up right now. Suddenly, Itachi's excuse for the massacre seemed vague and incomplete. Sasuke is going to have to ask Itachi for clarity before he kills him.

_As I mentioned before, my brother and I awakened the Mangekyō at the same time. We did indeed lose someone that was precious to the both of us. Our father. While trying to protect my younger brother, Izuna, from a fatal blow, we witnessed him being slashed down in two by none other than…Tobirama himself. It was too much to handle. Our father, the one who taught us everything we knew. The one who entrusted the future of our clan to us. Being killed right before our very eyes while trying to save us._

_We of the Uchiha are burdened with such a heavy fate. Our power lies within the very emotions that make us human. In order to become more powerful, we must lose more of the things we hold precious to us._

_Once you obtain the Mangekyō, I offer my sincerest sympathies at your loss. I know what it feels like to lose the closest people in your lives. It's a horrendous feeling, and the hatred that comes from it can be seen as a comfort. There is more to be taught, as the Mangekyō can be further improved upon. However, you need the Mangekyō Sharingan in order to view the next passage of this tablet._

_My Uchiha brethren, I apologize that I must leave in haste from the village I helped found. But my clan does not have the foresight to see the damage Tobirama will cause as the Nidaime Hokage. I hope that, those who have awakened the Mangekyō can view the future in the same way as I have, and can follow me towards the future that I have envisioned: A peace through dominance, not a peace through ideals._

Sasuke took a moment to gather all the thoughts he currently had on the information he just gained. This information was very enlightening for Sasuke. It provided him an in-depth analysis of the potential power Itachi had acquired. It gave him the method for procuring the Mangekyō Sharingan, as well as the method for beating it. It also provided insight on the true history of his clan, as never before told by his parents or textbooks.

He honestly could not believe that his clan was distantly related to the Rikudō Sennin. It seemed too farfetched for Sasuke to grasp. But Madara was serious about his revelation. Why would his ancient ancestor have any reason to lie? An even better question was how did he even know this information? The Rikudō Sennin was thousands of years old, and almost all traces of his being vanished with the stream of time. Yet, Madara is suddenly an expert in the life of the Rikudō Sennin.

He wanted to reveal this newfound information to Kakashi. But he felt that nobody should learn about the history of his clan. He felt that nobody should be armed with the knowledge that he had recently attained. After all, only he will be the one to confront Itachi in his final life-or-death battle.

Sasuke was about ready to return to his home. He had everything he needed. As he turned to walk back to the stairs, he noticed that something was etched on the wall opposite of the tablet. It was a gunbai uchiwa, a war fan that was the symbol for the Uchiha clan. It was about 3 feet long, and the handle was about 1 foot. The fan itself was shaped like the number 8, contrary to the circular design of the Uchiha emblem. On the top edges of the uchiwa, there were three tomoe molded in a circular pattern, similar to his Curse Seal of Heaven.

Sasuke closely examined the memorabilia. The edges of the uchiwa were steel-laced. Upon further inspection, Sasuke accidently cut his own finger. The uchiwa was still sharp, despite years of apparent disuse. It was nothing like a shinobigatana, which was short and straight, but the uchiwa would still be a useful battle weapon. It was massive, with the top half being about 2 feet in width and the bottom half about 1 and a half feet. It could be used for flails and slashes, but it is even more effective if the wielder had mastery over Fuuton.

Sasuke removed the uchiwa from its place on the wall. He decided to learn how to use the legendary weapon of the Uchiha. It would only be fitting if the last Uchiha could use his own emblem in battle.

* * *

_Exotic Waterfall, Outskirts of Konoha_

Jiraiya was gather "research" data for his next best seller. On the outskirts of Konoha, there existed a waterfall gathering area for some of the hottest, exotic babes from all over Konoha. Their impossibly large busts and firm, round rumps were every pervert's paradise. The girls played with each other, splashing water and giggling, their large breasts jiggling from their movements. Some of the girls, jealous of their companions huge chests, playfully groped them, moving them around with their hands and teasing them seductively. These girls thought that they were safe from the eyes of perverted voyeurs. But no beautiful woman was secure from the research gathering of the gallant Jiraiya-sama (with the exception of Tsunade).

Jiraiya was fervently jotting down notes on the behaviors of these playful girls. He was taking estimates of the bra sizes of the largest busts in the area. He noted how some of the girls expertly groped their friends, from the rotation of the breasts to how hard or soft they would squeeze. He listened closely to the quiet moans of some of the girls, and heard the playful teasing phrases of others. He fought the urge to nosebleed, as it would compromise his position. Girls most definitely can smell the blood of a pervert. It seemed like a genetic trait.

After a few more minutes of gathering data, he noticed the presence of somebody approaching. He quickly hid himself in the bushes and waited for the interloper to reveal himself.

Naruto walked into the area where he and Jiraiya often met to train. And by train, Naruto meant him doing exercises that Jiraiya gave him while he walked off to find some buxom beauty to grace with his presence. Today was a bit different, however.

Naruto was formally discharged from the hospital. He was told to find Jiraiya the following day, and they would have a bout to determine whether or not Naruto would stay for the upcoming Chuunin Exams in Suna. This was a very serious arrangement for Naruto, so Jiraiya better take it earnestly too.

He was surprised to see that Sasuke was discharged before him. He wanted to talk to Sasuke a bit about his dilemma, hoping that he would get some friendly words of good luck. It bothered Naruto a little, but Naruto knew that he was going to win no matter what. Naruto has an ace up his sleeve, one that would force Jiraiya to recognize him.

Jiraiya removed himself from his hiding spot. "Hey gaki!" He greeted Naruto with a smile on his face. "Ready to get pulverized?"

Naruto spat on the ground close to Jiraiya's right foot. "Tough words, Ero Sennin. But I'm gonna kick your ass. Ya already know I never go back on my word, believe it!"

"This is the real world kiddo." Jiraiya said, taking his stance. He was not going to go easy on the runt. The looming threat of Akatsuki was too much to postpone any training. "I'm gonna have to teach you that not every Nindo could be followed perfectly."

"Heh." Naruto merely responded. "Just cuz you're a Sannin doesn't mean ya the best. Reality check Ero Sennin: I'm gonna be the Hokage. I'll surpass all other Hokage before me. So don't underestimate me!" He formed his favorite hand seal and three clones poofed into existence. All of them tightened their hitai-ate, getting ready for the intense clash looming on the battlefield. After a brief stare down between Master and Student, Naruto charged at Jiraiya, fist clenched and ready for the opening haymaker.

* * *

**Hey y'all!**

**Welcome to the fifth released chapter of_ True Paths to Power_. This officially marks the first completed month I have actually worked on this fan fiction. Let's take a look at Week 4 stats (and by extension Month 1 stats) and see how _True Paths to Power_ fared, eh? 17 Favorites, 20 Followers, 28 Reviews and 1,193 total views! WOW! Thank you all sooo much for taking your time to read my humble fan fiction! To commemorate breaking 1000 views, I would like to release my first special for this fan fiction. What could it be about? Well, you'll just have to wait until next week to find out!**

**That being said, I'll be taking a break from writing this fan fiction for the next week. Specials are going to be short (about 5000 to 6000 words) with emphasis on character development. I'm bad at humor, so don't expect any hilarity filled omake. I occasionally attempt to please you guys with my poor humor, to remove the entirely serious tone of this fan fiction. After all, not many people like a largely solemn story.**

**Now, exciting as my first broken milestone is, I must say that I'm not too confidant about this chapter. I don't feel like it was well written, even if I did proofread it. I feel like descriptions were more bland than I originally anticipated, and I feel like I may have repeated some things. Please tell me what you guys think. I look very much forward to constructive criticism.**

**Speaking of constructive criticism, I've finally got my first critical review! I was advised against using too much "purple prose." Now, me being the non-English major that I am (I'm History, for Pete's sake), I had to use good ol' Wikipedia to search that phrase up. It meant flowery language. Yeah, I tend to go a little overboard with the flowery language. I can't help it!**

**This chapter focused a lot about Hatred. I originally called this chapter "Inner Demon," but decided ultimately against it. "Curse of Hatred" is a far more suitable title for this chapter, as it incorporates the entire theme.**

**Naruto confronts the Kyuubi about using its power. I felt as thought Naruto's subconscious was a reflection of his deepest thoughts and desires, so it had to be a sewer from the beginning. I could not find anything to dispute my ideas, so from here on in, Naruto's subconscious will fluctuate depending on his thoughts. Just like it did multiple times in this chapter.**

**The Kyuubi realizes that it cannot use Naruto's darkest thoughts against him any more. Naruto is more composed and serene, no longer allowing anyone or anything to disrupt his serenity. In canon, Kyuubi uses Naruto's adamant desire to fuel his darkest thoughts, tempting Naruto to use more and more of the Kyuubi's power to kill his enemies. Naruto maintains a semblance of control for up to 3 tails worth of chakra, but after 4 he falls for the demonic desires of the demon fox. He definitely becomes a chibi Kyuubi, lost in his own rage and hatred.**

**The Kyuubi gives Naruto a pool of his chakra to use as he sees fit. It's a little test to see how Naruto would use the Kyuubi's chakra without the temptation of falling for the fox's hatred and scorn. This does not mean he will go into Nine Tails Chakra Mode automatically. Firstly, that would be overpowered overkill, and it would totally ruin the whole point of having Naruto fight against stronger and stronger enemies. Secondly, the Nine Tails Chakra Mode can only be achieve when Naruto seals the Kyuubi form his own chakra, providing him unlimited access to the Kyuubi's full reservoir of chakra. The Kyuubi gave him one-one thousandth of his chakra (which is still a lot of chakra) that Naruto can use freely. As a result, he cannot truly enter the Nine Tails Chakra Mode. However, he will have access to his Jinchuuriki transformations, which will be vital for some fights later in the story.**

**Sasuke now learned the secrets of the Uchiha clan. I was kinda hesitant on releasing too much information, but I felt the information I gave was adequate. There is no mention of the Rinnegan or how to obtain its power, since I believe that would require the sight of the Eternal Mangekyou. I also believe that the tablet was originally supposed to be readable only by the Rinnegan, but Madara made modifications to the tablet so that potential Uchiha can learn the steps to obtaining the Mangekyou. A contingency should he actually die in the battle against Hashirama.**

**I also added a little depth into Madara's backstory. It's unknown how he and Izuna obtained their Mangekyou. So I had a lot of leeway in creating the premise behind their Mangekyou: the death of their father by Tobirama. This also further his own hatred against Tobirama and prompts him to leaving Konoha, the village he helped found after mending relations with Hashirama. I am in no way bashing Tobirama. However, its essential to see characters from the perspective of others. Tobirama made mistakes, as did Madara and Hashirama. Nobody is perfect. We are all human after all.**

**In canon, there was no possible way for Sasuke to actually know much about the Uchiha. He left Konoha to train under Orochimaru, blinded by his hatred and desire for revenge. In this story, he never leaves Konoha and searches for information to beat Itachi. What he learns starts to shift his own opinions, as he starts to get an understanding of how Itachi has gained his power. Itachi generally wanted Sasuke to hate him, despise him, as a form of punishment for his actions against the Uchiha. How he obtained the Mangekyou was out of his control. He never did want to kill Shisui. I should probably stop before I spoil all of canon (like I haven't already).**

**I hope this chapter was an interesting read for you guys. As always, if you are interested in editing my works, PM me and I'll test your skills out.**

**Now for this week's questions.**

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**Q: Is Sasuke going to meet the the other members of Team Hebi/Taka?**

**A: I may have plans to incorporate the members of Team Hebi/Taka into the new Sound Five. I am most likely not going to use Anime characters (as I have not watched most of the anime and have not seen many of the character exclusive to that form of media), and I want to limit the amount of OCs I plan to include in the story. I definitely would like to have the new leader of the Sound Five be an OC, but Karin, Juugo and Suigetsu may be able to see the light of day as members of Orochimaru's Elite Guard.**

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**Thank you all so much for helping me achieve this milestone today! I hope you guys will be with me next Monday for _True Paths to Power_'s first ever special! Also, Next Wednesday is the release of _Finding Conviction _and _Redemption_ so see ya all soon!**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/13/2013 11:20AM EST**


	6. Insane Bloodlust

**Special 1: Insane Bloodlust**

My sensei figured that we should arrive in the battlefield in a spectacular fashion. We were already running late from returning to Konoha by a couple of hours. It wasn't necessarily my fault that Kakashi was a heavy sleeper. I told him he should stop reading that perverted book of his before going to bed; he tends to stay up half the night and never gets enough sleep.

From Konoha to the plateau where we stood was about a 3 hour trip. Because of the taijutsu training we've completed over the last month, we managed to actually cut that time by half. We arrived in Konoha close to 1 PM, which means that the third fight was probably finished.

"Kakashi, why are you always so late!" I screamed at my tardy, apathetic sensei.

"Well, Sasuke…When I woke up, I stumped my toe on a pebble and had to perform first aid to recover the damage…hehehe…" Kakashi said. He honestly did not just….

Anyways, we made haste to the stadium. After I was discharged from Konoha General, we were allowed to get a sneak preview of the stadium. In fact, all combatants were allowed to look. The whole purpose of the one month "training" session was to get as much information about your adversary as humanly possible to assist you in your battle. It also did not hurt to get a feel for the terrain. It was Kakashi who decided to scout the terrain.

The stadium was massive. There were seats for about 10,000 people, or about one-third the population of Konoha. The Stadium stood tall at about 132 feet, and about 125 feet in diameter. Inside the stadium, there is a deep incline where the battle field is located. The battlefield is about 50 feet under the stands and seats of the stadium, so that viewers were not injured by stray jutsu or kunai and shuriken. The battles of the Chuunin exams did get hectic, after all, from my experience in the preliminaries.

The battlefield was mostly flat, with occasional outcroppings of rock and some minor forested areas. This was perfect. There was enough space for me to utilize my new jutsu. I can't wait to use it on Gaara, and show that psycho that his absolute defense isn't as "absolute" as he claims it to be.

With prior knowledge of the battlefield in hand, Kakashi suggested we shunshin into the center of the battlefield, despite whether or not a battle was being held. I was firmly against his idea, but I really wanted to fight Gaara. If I can fight and defeat Gaara, that will make me one step closer to killing _him_.

With a quick hand sign, me and Kakashi disappeared in a vortex of leaves. Using Shunshin for the first time is an odd feeling. It's not the same as moving through space and time, but the sheer speed in which one's body move to another area can be nauseating. The first time I used a Shunshin, I vomited, unable to hold everything in for that time. Fortunately, during our training in the plateau, all we ate were ration packs and energy bars, so I did not have much of a grotesque taste lingering in my mouth.

This time, I was prepared for the Shunshin. It still felt a little queasy, but in a couple of seconds Kakashi and I arrived at the center of the arena. It seemed that we arrived just at the end of a battle, as Naruto, Shikamaru, and some shinobi, I don't quite recall his name, were on the battlefield. As expected, everyone in the field was surprised by the random cyclone of leaves indicating our arrival.

After overcoming his mild shock, the man I did not know finally spoke up. "Your name?" He said with a smirk, playing with the senbon in his mouth. Judging by the smirk, he probably already knew who I was, so I assumed it was standard protocol. It's rare for ninja to randomly shunshin into the middle of the stadium during the Chuunin Exams, after all.

I decided to indulge him. "Uchiha Sasuke." I said coldly. There's no point in me getting excited over this. I'm going to win, no matter what. I have to win. I _need _to win.

Naruto was staring at me with a huge grin on his face. I presumed he was very excited to see me there. "From your excitement," I began. "You won in the first round?"

"Of course!" Naruto responded, grin still plastered on his face. I gave him a smirk. Truth be told, it did not matter who won the first match between him and Hyuuga Neji. In the end, I'll still be testing my skills against a formidable adversary. Deep down inside, I actually wanted Naruto to win. I said I wanted to fight him and I honestly meant that. I've witnessed his improvement over the last couple of months, and I would be arrogant and ignorant to say that it was nothing short of impressive. Naruto has grown stronger at a rate I found astonishing, and the stronger he got, the more I wanted to fight him.

"Well…" Kakashi suddenly said, earning everyone's attention. "We showed up all flashy and the like but could Sasuke have been…disqualified?" I wanted to fall flat on my face. Kakashi was so confident when he suggested the shunshin, but now I may be disqualified because of his stupid habit? Kakashi, you idiot! "See, you're late Sasuke." He continued, scratching the back of his head feigning innocence. Kakashi, you're the reason why I'm late, you bumbling pervert!

"Geez," the man with the senbon said, shifting from leg to leg. "Your tardiness must be contagious." I palmed my face. Kakashi actually managed to convince everyone in the stadium that I was the reason why I was late. Kakashi, after I kill Itachi…

Shikamaru had a bored, uninterested expression on his face, as if this was all but a drag. I'd have to agree with him on that point. This was a complete waste of time.

"So…" Kakashi said, breaking the awkward silence. "What is it?"

"Don't worry." The unknown man said. "We pushed Sasuke's fight 'til the end. He hasn't been disqualified."

"Ahahahahahahahaha!" Kakashi laughed. "That's good! Good!" Yeah, enjoy your respite now, you asshole…

I breathed a mental sigh of relief. I still got a chance to test the results of my training. Just then I suddenly remembered. Where is the real proctor of the third part? If I recall his name it was…Coyote Gecko? I know for certain he sneezed a lot…

Well, it matters not. I'm about to fight Gaara. I'll beat him utterly, make him understand the true might of an Uchiha Elite.

I found him staring at me from Suna balcony above. I returned his glare. His glare seemed so…cold. Inhuman. Demonic. I felt like wavering the more I stared into this genin's dark eyes. But I can't show any weakness against anyone. I already allowed that snake Orochimaru to see me cower in fear. I won't let some nameless runt do the same. Even if his teammates are scared shitless.

I was brought back to reality by Naruto's sudden words.

"Don't lose to a guy like that." Naruto said. He must have been sharing my same sentiments.

"Yeah," I replied. I won't lose to Gaara. I won't lose to _anyone_.

After some sudden silence, Naruto shouted my name, trying to catch my attention. Baka, there's no need to shout, I'm right in front of you…

"I…want to fight you too!" He said in such a serious tone. I haven't heard Naruto this serious since the Wave Country mission. He must really want to fight me.

"Yeah…" I said, giving him a half-smirk. His face lightened up with a massive grin. Only the numbskull could smile like that. I guess that's good for him. I wouldn't want him to be as sore as a whipped dog when we eventually fight.

From the battlefield, I could hear the blond harpy screeching my name. I honestly can't understand what she has in it for me. She's annoying, talentless, and pathetic. Even the timid Hyuuga princess can kick her ass. She really needs to stop going gaga over me, I am not going to be interested in the slightest with her (or Sakura for that matter).

Following the blondie's unnecessary words of encouragement, there was a stream of gossip overcoming the entire stadium.

"Hey, is that the Uchiha prodigy?" some said. "The Uchiha fight is gonna start!" others screamed. The praises and chants just continued on. These guys really need to shut the fuck up. I'm not here to fight for their wretched entertainment. I'm here so that I can grow stronger and kill Itachi. It's not like these self-centered, ungrateful bastards can honestly understand what I'm going through right now.

I noticed Shikamaru starting to stare at me. Although I did not return the glance, I figured he's probably as interested in my fight as the others. Lazy ass.

I turned my gaze back at Gaara, but what I saw almost unnerved me. His expression changed into a bloodthirsty grin, as if he wanted so badly to kill me. I could feel some killing intent, even from our distance. But the killing intent was nowhere near as high as Zabuza during the Wave Country. Or Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. Hell, even Naruto had stronger killing intent when he was enveloped in that weird crimson chakra while fighting Orochimaru's summon.

"Gaara, get down here" The proctor called Gaara.

"Naruto, let's go back up." Shikamaru suggested. You don't say?

"Yeah." Naruto responded enthusiastically. Honestly, if the match is about to start, wouldn't it be kinda, I don't know, _mandatory_ for all other noncombatants to leave the vicinity?

"For going up at least, we're going to slowly walk up the stairs." Shikamaru said, bringing his right arm over his shoulders to soothe his neck.

"What? You're still pissed that I pushed you down?" Naruto asked.

…What exactly went down while I was coming over?

* * *

After some time waiting, Gaara finally arrived on the battleground. I noticed some minor blotches of blood on his clothing. I paid it no mind; Suna shinobi probably do not have the luxury of cleaning their clothing.

"Now…finally…" The senbon loving proctor said.

Gaara was chuckling maniacally, catching me somewhat by surprise. The bloodlust in his eyes grew exponentially, and his creepy grin did not help the situation. It's enough to unnerve any normal genin. Then again, I'm not any normal genin.

"BEGIN!" The proctor announced. Immediately, sand began to flow out of the gourd Gaara held in his back. Instinctively, I took a step back. This must be the sand that Kakashi mentioned…the one that incapacitated Lee. If Lee, of all people, can be defeated by such sand, then I need to be on the alert.

Unexpectedly, Gaara clasped his right hand on his forehead, as if he were suffering a large migraine. The sand stopped flowing from the gourd, suspended in midair. I was confused at his sudden halt. He was gaining momentum in the battle, just to abruptly stop what he was doing?

"Don't…get so angry…" He suddenly said. Was he talking to me? Do I really look like I'm angry at the moment? I was starting to get a little irritated, yes. But I was nowhere near angry.

"Mother…" he continued. I looked around. There was no one else in the field except for me, the proctor and the delusional psychopath. I was starting to worry about what exactly he was saying.

"I fed you some nasty blood earlier…" He said. The amount of sand surrounding him increased dramatically. He was no longer gaining sand from inside his gourd, but from the earth itself. He was extracting sand residue from the ground and using it for his own needs. This versatile ability is definitely something towards his advantage. I need to be careful; if he can manipulate sand from any part of the earth, I cannot just stand still and wait for him to attack.

"I'm sorry…" He continued. "But this time it will be delicious…"

I couldn't help but feel a cold sweat roll down my face. Gaara had got to be the most mentally challenged enemy I've fought thus far.

Gaara must have gotten a larger headache, because he suddenly twitched violently, screaming and releasing his hand from his head. His sand also noticeably dropped with Gaara's sudden pain.

When he recollected himself, he stared at me coldly, as if I were an insect that needed to be squashed. "Come" he said, void of any real emotions.

"Here I come," I said. Quickly grabbing two shuriken from my shuriken holster, I threw them at Gaara's direction. He did not even move to dodge the attack; a wall of sand erupted from the ground and stopped the shuriken dead in its tracks.

The sand morphed into a clone of Gaara, holding the two shuriken in his hands. The clone looked just as apathetic as the original, excepted made completely out of sand.

Taking this momentary pause as an opportunity, I dashed forward towards Gaara. The sand clone mildly exploded, launching sand at my direction. Surprised that the clone could actually do that, I leapt out of the way. Gaara was shocked at how high I could leap, easily avoiding the blast radius of the launched sand. His clone quickly retaliated, tossing the shuriken I threw at it towards me. Not only was his sand versatile, but his sand clone as well. Gaara is gonna be one tough opponent, that's for sure.

I tossed two more shuriken at the incoming ninja stars. They collided at midair, giving me ample time to assault the clone. I kicked the clone, which blocked with its arms crossed over its body. Unlike Naruto's clones, this one did not dispel immediately upon impact. But the force of my kick was enough to decimate its hands.

Catching my falling body with my hands, I sprang up and back towards the clone aiming to finish the job. I sent my left fist towards the clone's throat. But the clone merely smirked, and sand began to envelope my fist. I was not about to let him catch me, so I finished off the clone with a palm strike using my right hand.

With no clone left to guard Gaara, I dashed off to deal first blood of the fight. Before my fist connected with Gaara's face, a mini shield of sand appeared right in front of his face. I smirked. That trick is not going to work twice.

Spinning on the soles of my feet, I rapidly rushed behind Gaara. Gaara could not see how fast I moved, and immediately after turning, I landed a solid punch at Gaara's face. Gaara's face _cracked _and he was sent flying, only for his landing to be softened by that annoying sand of his.

"So that's the armor of sand, eh?" I asked him rhetorically. He didn't reply, just trying to stare daggers at me in some sort of vain attempt to kill me with his glare. Gaara's not about to scare me. I got into Lee's familiar taijutsu stance, hoping to deal some psychological damage to the already mentally impaired maniac. "Come on." I flicked my fingers, inviting him to attack.

He took the bait. He tried to attack me with more sand, but I was merely too fast for him. The second he attacked, I was immediately behind him again. His sand reacted faster this time, trying to halt my advance. I weaved through the incoming sand and landed a roundhouse kick at Gaara's chest, sending him flying one again.

Damage was reduced by his aggravating sand shield and his sand softening the impact of his falls. But I was still satisfied with the hits I was gaining on him.

"What's wrong?" I mocked. "Is that it?" Gaara was undeterred by my petty insults, still staring coldly into my very being.

I ran at him yet again. I circled around his defense once, avoiding all of the sand he was sending my way. I rolled into his defenses, surprising the Suna shinobi, and smashed his chin with a powerful kick. I wasn't down with my assault though. Grabbing his shirt as he was about to fly into the air, I knocked the wind out of him with a knee strike, forcing him to stumble on his own knees to catch some air. I made some space between me and him, refusing to allow the sand to attack me anytime soon.

Gaara wasn't the only one that needed to catch a breather. Actually, truth be told, Lee's taijutsu is _strenuous_. The sheer amount of stamina I need to travel at the speeds he supposedly travelled was too much, and I was tiring out quickly. It was not like I was tiring to the point where Gaara can gain the upper hand, but it was still taxing nonetheless.

Gaara struggled to stand, the sand orbiting around him. Forming the seal of the tiger, all of the sand began to gather around him in a protective dome

Though I was slightly surprised, I did not let this new development stop me. I ran at him, determined to finish this fight. As I readied my fist to crack open this new defense, sand spikes emerged from the protective dome, slashing me in several place. My fist still connected, but the dome was compacted densely, and my knuckles ended up bleeding from the impact. Impressive, but not good enough.

An eye began to form outside of the dome. Most likely because he can't see from within the dome, he needed a method to observe the foolishness of his opponent. Well, the only thing he's gonna be seeing is how I destroy his "absolute defense."

Wiping the blood off of my face, I charged at his sand defense again. I kicked the dome with all the strength I could muster, but it would not even dent. That really was some tight defense. I can't even crack it through normal methods. I don't know exactly what he's planning on doing inside that dome of his, isolated from the rest of the world. But, regardless, Gaara is still going down. I still have one more trick up my sleeve.

I backed up as far as I can, even using the walls of the stadium for extra distance. I farther back I am, the more damage I can potentially do with my new jutsu. Rapidly going through the three hand signs for my jutsu, I placed my left hand near the ground and lightning chakra gathered around my palm. I was ready.

Keeping my hand near the ground, I dashed off towards Gaara. The sheer power of the electricity gathered around my palm was enough to destroy the ground my palm was over.

Gaara was not about to let me get anywhere near him, registering the sudden new jutsu as a major threat. He assaulted me with a bombardment of sand and sand spikes from the ground, forcing me to weave through the ground. The attack may seem like a straightforward dash, but Gaara underestimated one trump card I was holding back during this battle: the Sharingan.

"CHIDORI" I screamed as I pierced the sand dome. Gaara tried, in vain, to counterattack me using his dome's spikes, but with the Sharingan, I could see where his spikes came from and I dodged as such.

"I've got you!" I shouted in momentary triumph. Though I usually do not bask in the kill (personally, I have yet to kill anyone at this point in my life), this feeling of victory was too much for me to simply ignore. Throughout this entire battle, I've been the one controlling the momentum. I was the one inflicting all the damage, and I barely received any damage in return. This was my moment, and I couldn't help but enjoy it. It's proof that I am getting stronger.

"What's this warm stuff?" Gaara suddenly asked. He was inside the dome, so it was barely audible, but I could still hear his "conversation" nonetheless. "Mother…what did…"

I felt some blood flow through my hand. I made extra precautions to protect my hand from potential backlash of Chidori, so I knew this was not my own blood. This had to be Gaara's blood.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Came the bloodcurdling scream from within the dome. "BLOOD! MY BLOOD!" Gaara yelled maniacally. What's the matter with him? He's never seen his own blood before?

The sand around my arm began to tighten hard and harder. It became increasingly difficult and very painful to remove my palm from the sand dome. He was aiming to crush that arm. I won't let him.

I charged lightning chakra again in my palm. It was not a second Chidori, merely a boost of strength using Raiton. I still felt Gaara on my hand, so I sent lightning chakra at him, hoping to disable him and stop him from crushing my arm.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Gaara screamed as the foreign electricity coursed through his body. His momentary lapse was more than enough time for me to remove my blood-soaked hand from within his miniature fortress.

As I removed my arm, I was attacked by a massive claw. I managed to jump out of the way, and the claw limped before retracting back inside the sand cocoon. It left a large hole inside, just barely enough to see the contents inside the cocoon. I activated my Sharingan to gain a better view, and what I saw actually shook me to the core.

His eyes. His eyes changed. They were no longer teal green eyes surrounded by the black rings of an insomniac. The sclera was completely black; his iris was a strangely vibrant golden color with a cross shaped pupil. It was so inhuman. Everything about the kid was damn inhuman, but this just upped the level by leaps and bounds.

It was a momentary observation, however. His facial features changed back to the normal, human Gaara as the sand dome collapsed on itself. Gaara was holding onto his left shoulder tightly, where I stabbed him and shocked him with my Chidori. He was breathing heavily, unsure of exactly what to do in this situation. Most likely he had never felt this kind of pain before, and the sheer agony of it was causing him to undergo a mental breakdown.

I did not have time to think, however, as the Hokage booth above exploded. I was surprised by the sudden explosion and barely noticed Gaara being joined by the Suna genin and his jounin sensei.

"Gaara, the plan." The jounin said. Gaara could not possibly have heard him, since he was on his knees struggling to keep his migraine from further damaging his already delicate mental state. I was curious as to this "plan," these guys had. Did it have something to do with the cocoon?

"I knew it…" The blond kunoichi said.

"What's wrong?" The hooded shinobi asked.

"Fool!" the jounin sensei screamed. "Trying to transform into your complete state before the signal?!" Complete state? It must be those eyes I saw inside the sand cocoon…

"He's experiencing the side effects, it's impossible to proceed now!" The blond kunoichi said.

"Then what are we supposed to do?!" The hooded shinobi screamed. "Do it without Gaara?"

This was all very confusing. I can hear the sounds of battle from outside the Stadium. The Hokage booth was destroyed, and now these Suna shinobi were discussing some sort of "plan?" The jounin sensei was in deep contemplation, considering the options he had available. What exactly is going on at the moment?

"Abort the mission." He said, to the surprise of the two genin shinobi. "You guys take Gaara and retreat."

The two genin looked distraught. "Damn," The hooded shinobi finally replied after some thought.

"What about you?" The blond kunoichi asked.

"I'll join the battle." He responded. So there was a battle going outside of the stadium. An invasion force? Suna's trying to invade Konoha after our treaty? "Go!"

"Y-yeah," The blond kunoichi said reluctantly. The three genin dispersed from the stadium, leaving me dumbfounded by the situation at hand.

"Is the leader of this party…Orochimaru?" The senbon proctor said after some silence. Orochimaru? Orochimaru is here in Konoha?

"Who knows?" the jounin sensei said with a smirk. "Let's just join the fun!"

This was getting out of hand. I am certain that I have improved over the last month. My complete and utter domination of the Gaara battle is proof of that. But I don't think I have the skills to take on this jounin. Even with the proctor helping me.

"Hey!" I screamed, catching the proctor's attention. "What's going on?" I needed some clarity. An understanding of the situation at hand.

"Sorry, but the Chuunin Exams is now over." The proctor said in a serious tone. "You go and pursue Gaara and the others."

This sounded like a mission briefing. I was told to go and find Gaara, and potentially bring them back to Konoha. Things were indeed going way too fast for me to fully comprehend, but it's not like I have any say in the matter.

"You're already at the Chuunin level." He continued, interrupting my train of thought. "If you're a leaf shinobi, then make yourself useful." In the end, I really did not have much of a say in the matter, did I? The proctor is most likely a Special jounin, so he outranked me and therefore can provide me with instructions and orders. Since I was an active genin, I was obligated to follow his commands. Besides, personally, I wanted to finish the battle I had with Gaara. I won't let anything get in the way of my victory.

I gave an affirmative nod to the proctor and jumped and exited the stadium. I don't understand the severity of the mission at hand, but it seems like I play a vital role in stopping Suna's plans. I won't disappoint. I _can't _disappoint. Not with my lifelong ambition on the line with my service.

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**Hey y'all!**

**Welcome to the first ever Special of _True Paths to Power_! Now, let me go into a brief discussion on how Specials will work out in my story. I'll release specials only on certain occasions. This special occasion was to mark the 1000th view of this story. What a milestone, I still can't believe I managed to get this far in a month!**

**Specials will be written in the First Person, as opposed to the Third Person perspective of the story. Specials are designed to get more in depth with certain characters, like Naruto, Sasuke, maybe even Sakura, Kakashi, etc. I plan on having a Special written for the OC that will hopefully be making a reappearance soon. Hell, maybe the _mysterious_ masked man may get a special.**

**Specials will be written during milestones, or when parts of the story calls for more analysis of a certain character's...er...well...character. Specials will be written in the style of speech the specific character engages in. For instance, I have Naruto say "ya" instead of "you" (even though ya is more then likely plural). I don't like randomly saying "dattebayo" at the end of sentences, because its ridiculous to say a random Japanese phrase in an English sentence. I occasionally say "believe it" because, in my mind, it works a lot better. If this fan fic was written in Japanese, then I would spamming the fuck out of "dattebayo." With no remorse whatsoever. But you get the idea. Specials will be written in the style of speech of the represented character.**

**Now, why is this special written about the battle between Gaara and Sasuke? A lot of people asked me why did I not start off the story in that particular sequence of events. I have an answer. The battle between Gaara and Sasuke played out almost exactly like it did in canon. It would basically be a rehash. A retelling. I did not want my story to start as a retelling. So I started at the point where canon and my story actually really split: the Kimimaro battle. This particular battle will be split in two. I don't want Specials to be as long as normal chapters. Maybe 5000-6000 words long. so this is the first part of the special. Don't expect the next part to come anytime soon, though. I plan to release the next part hopefully by the start of the Second Chuunin Exams of my story.**

**I want to apologize. This chapter was rushed and I did not spend as much time as I should have. I was spending the majority of my time reading _Lost Soul_ by LD 1449. It was so addicting that I prioritized completing that story over working on my own. I'm so bad. I sorry.**

**This should have been a little longer. It also should have been edited properly. I have not proofread this piece. I will do so sometime this weak, and I'll rerelease this chapter. I promise you guys that.**

**Now, Week 5 Stats: 21 Favorites, 29 Followers, 34 Reviews, 1 Community, and 1,860 Views. Wow, what a boost of views since last. You can expect the next update to be a continuation of the story. Get hyped: Jiraiya vs. Naruto is up next!**

**Now, I want to say some final words. I will no longer be writing Author's Notes explaining the feelings and emotions of the characters. I want you guys to find out what exactly is going through the characters minds on your own. Hopefully, this will invite people to ask more questions in their reviews, I would really like that. Speaking of questions, here you guys go!**

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**Q: I thought Shisui committed suicide by drowning and gave Itachi his remaining eye? Or did he get Itachi to actually kill him to gain his own Mangekyo?**

**A: Shisui was assaulted by Danzou before he gave his eye to Itachi. Shisui's right eye was stolen from him, and he was most likely going to have his left eye stolen from him before he escaped the attack. Shisui gave Itachi his left eye and asked him to keep it hidden, hoping that the power of Kotoamatsukami would not fall into the wrong hands. **

**Kotoamatsukami is one of the most powerful Genjutsu in the world. I would not say its more powerful than Tsukuyomi, since that Tsukuyomi has not been broken by anyone before (victims of Tsukuyomi undergo psychological relapse, leaving them in a comatose state during and after the period of Tsukuyomi. Tsunade did not break Kakashi and Sasuke out of Tsukuyomi, she just woke them up from their state). Whereas, victims of Kotoamatsukami, although they have absolutely no idea of their being in a genjutsu in the first place, can be broken from their state, as Ao did with Mifune in the Five Kage Summit. However, the implications of Kotoamatsukami are far more severe. You can convince the Hokage to go to war with every single nation in the world, and the Hokage would have no idea that you were the reason why he/she declared war, for instance.**

**Itachi never wanted to kill Shisui. But Shisui knew his time was up. He couldn't see anymore, and his career as a ninja was over. So he asked Itachi to assist him in his suicide. Itachi complied, and with the death of his best friend, he awakened the Mangekyo. Hope I explained it well.**

**Q: Are you basically skipping over Dark Naruto, the one Naruto had to face at the Waterfall of Truth?**

**A: The whole concept of defeating your inner demon to gain strength is a cliche plot device that I do not wish to utilize in this story. I may or may not use it with another character (like Sasuke), but I have no plans for Dark Naruto to make an appearance in this story. That may change, however. I do have the general gist of the plot. I know who's going to live, and who's going to die. I know what event is going to make who snap. I even have the final battle all planned out. However, the majority of the plot is holes that I need to fill at some point. The plot and I are going to change as time moves on. So keep your hopes up.**

* * *

**Once again, I apologize for the rushed chapter. I'll update this as soon as I can, and you can expect the next official chapter of the story next week Monday. Wednesday will be the release of _Finding Conviction_. June 1st will be _Redemption_. Hope you guys enjoy this experiment, and I will see ya later, BELIEVE IT DATTEBAYO!**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/20/2013 1:39PM EST**


	7. Releasing the Floodgates

**Chapter 6: Releasing the Floodgates**

* * *

_Exotic Waterfall, Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato_

Naruto charged at Jiraiya, fist clenched and ready for the opening haymaker. His eyes widened, however, when he felt the strong blow to his gut. He did not even see Jiraiya move; there was a fist to his stomach just as quickly as Naruto blinked.

Naruto clenched his stomach tightly, trying to comfort the sudden and strong pain he was feeling at the moment.

"C'mon, you can do much better than that." Jiraiya said. "One punch? Damn, you are one sorry excuse for a disciple."

"*cough* Well, I didn't *cough**cough* come here unprepared." Naruto said, before puffing into smoke. It was Jiraiya's turn to be thoroughly surprised. Usually, shadow clones dispelled immediately after taking a powerful hit. Yet this one survived for several seconds before dispelling. In fact, it seemed to be agonizing in pain before it dispelled. There can only be one reason behind the improved fortitude: Naruto is giving the shadow clones more chakra.

Kage Bunshin no Jutsu evenly distributes the users chakra among the clones. The less clones one uses, the more durable the clones are. One clone holds half of the chakra of the user, whereas 3 clones hold a quarter of the chakra. The more clones the user creates, the more at risk the user is to succumbing to chakra exhaustion.

However, there is a way to circumvent this minor mishap. If the user of Kage Bunshin no Jutsu held a Bijuu, their chakra reserves are increased exponentially. In addition, the user could use the Bijuu's chakra to assist in creating shadow clones, therefore reducing the amount of chakra the user need to output for the clones. It happens to be the case that Naruto had the Kyuubi no Kitsune as his Bijuu. Jiraiya smiled. This meant that Naruto is actively using the Kyuubi to fuel his shadow clones.

"I'm impressed, gaki." Jiraiya said, stroking his nonexistent beard. "Still, you'll have to do better than that if you _really _want to beat me."

Three Narutos burst out of the leaves above. All of the Narutos were holding on to each other's arms to expand the range of their collective knee strike. Jiraiya merely sidestepped the attack, but Naruto's counter was rather impressive. Upon recovering from the fumbled knee strike, the left most Naruto began to spin the group, building momentum for another attack. Once enough momentum was built, the leftmost Naruto flung the other two Narutos. The two Narutos grabbed on each other's shoulders, and was soon a spinning mass flying rapidly at Jiraiya.

'This kid sure is creative with his shadow clones, ain't he?' Jiraiya thought as he bent his back backwards to dodge the spinning attack. The two shadow clones disengaged and used their hands to push each other out of the way for a safe recovery.

The third Naruto was rushing at Jiraiya, trying to, once again, land the opening haymaker. Jiraiya grabbed the clone's arm and twisted his body, dislocating the clone's right shoulder. He then kicked the clone towards the other two. The kicked clone landed on one of the clones and dispelled on impact. The other clone managed to dodge the incoming clone and launched some shuriken at Jiraiya.

Jiraiya tossed some of his own shuriken at the clone. The barrage of shuriken collided in midair and fell to the ground. Jiraiya barely had time to note the incoming Rasengan from behind him, and he jumped into the air to avoid the spiraling sphere of death.

The clones would not let up their offense. The second clone (the clone that was knocked backwards by the dislocated shoulder clone) attacked Jiraiya midair with a flying kick. Jiraiya forced himself to spin in order to dodge the inbound kick, and using his newfound momentum performed his own spin kick at the clone. The clone was sent tumbling to the clone that attacked him with the Rasengan, and the force of the impact caused the two to dispel. There were only two clones left in the battlefield.

"Hmph," Naruto exclaimed. "Not bad Ero Sennin. This battle might actually cause me to work up a sweat."

"Don't get cocky, brat." Jiraiya said. "This ain't even a warm up. All of your attacks are feeble and straightforward. I haven't even been forced to use any of my jutsu yet."

"Well then," Naruto said slapping a smile on his face. "Let's see you deal with round 2!"

The clearing was filled with Narutos all of a sudden. Every other Naruto held a Rasengan in hand. There were probably 50 Naruto clones charging at Jiraiya.

"Rasen Chō Tarengan!" All of the Shadow Clones shouted simultaneously. The Naruto clones smashed their barrage of Rasengan at Jiraiya, who leapt into the air to avoid the onslaught. However, the clones were already prepared for Jiraiya's countermeasure.

Some of the clones bent backwards, becoming stools for other clones, with Rasengan in hand, to jump on. This leverage allowed them to jump higher and be more aerodynamic when trying to catch Jiraiya midair.

'Shit, I might be unlucky over here!' Jiraiya thought. There were at least 20 Narutos in the air, each trying to slam a Rasengan to his chest.

"Katon: Endan no Jutsu!" Jiraiya shouted as a massive fireball engulfed the incoming clones, ending their attempted Rasengan barrage. Jiraiya tried to breathe a sigh of relief, but he did not get the chance to when he narrowly avoided a Fuma Shuriken. The ground clones began to bombard him with shuriken and kunai and Jiraiya had nowhere else to go. He did a very rapid substitution with one of the ground clones, and watched as that clone was pelted brutally with shuriken and kunai. On the inside, Jiraiya winced a bit. He knew that Naruto was going to feel that.

"OVER THERE!" one of the clones shouted, alerting the other clones to the presence of Jiraiya. 'Damn, Naruto really isn't holding back, is he?' Jiraiya thought as he reengaged the clones in a confrontation of direct taijutsu. Jiraiya dispelled a clone using a high kick and dodge a kunai swipe from another clone. He dispelled the kunai clone by grabbing onto his arm and tossing him at an incoming clone. He proceeded to flick out two shuriken from the air using his fingers, and tossed them back at their throwers.

He purposefully allowed one of the clones to slash him on his right arm before dispelling that clone with a palm strike to the chest. Gliding his thumb along the wound, Jiraiya went through several hand signs before slamming his palm on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Jiraiya shouted as a massive puff of smoke appeared above the group of Narutos. A large toad, the size of a well-endowed bull crash landed on the group of Narutos dispelling them upon impact. The toad croaked once in annoyance before unsheathing its blade and reducing more Narutos to puffs of smoke.

The Narutos were in a complete disarray at the moment. Many of them stumbled upon each other trying to get away from the toad that was killing clones left and right. Some tried to be brave and retaliate against the juggernaut, only to be dispelled in an embarrassing poof of smoke.

"Guys!" One of the clones said. "Why are we so scared of a toad? Boss is really gonna have our asses for this…"

"You know what?" One of the clones responded, dodging a slash to his face. "Naruto is right! We ain't need to be scared of no oversized bull toad!"

"YEAH!" A chorus of Narutos cried simultaneously, before it was silenced by the cacophony of poofs.

The first clone was shocked silent at the widespread destruction of his brothers-in-arm. "I say we give him a taste of his own medicine!"

"YEAH!" A crescendo of Narutos applauded at their "exalted" leader's recommendation. 10 Narutos bit their thumbs together and smashed their palms on the floor, screaming "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" As the clones dispelled following the successful summoning, the large toad was surrounded by 10 smaller, battle-ready toads, eager to prove their worth to their sempai.

'Geez, this kid is really gonna force the toads to fight each other?' Jiraiya thought, sidestepping another attack from the clones before reacting with a vicious backhand to the face, dispelling it immediately.

The large toad was having a tough time holding back its juniors as they attacked just as coordinated and precise as the Naruto clones. When the large toad dodged an attack from one of the smaller toad's weapon, another toad would cease the newly found opportunity to pressure the large toad. At this well-oiled initiative, the large toad found itself heavily on the defense, blocking and parrying attacks instead of pursuing the rapid demise (or dispersion) of its comrades.

"See, now he's on the defense!" The lead clone announced. "Press onwards gentleman! The war has yet to be won!" With an uproar of battle cries, the Naruto clones charged at Jiraiya eager to at least knock him down and win the bet.

'Geez, what does Naruto think this is, a warzone?' Jiraiya thought, disregarding the enthusiasm of the clones. Weaving through hand signs quickly, Jiraiya hit the floor with the palm of his hands.

"Doton: Yomi Numa no Jutsu!" A massive quagmire appeared under the feet of charging Naruto. The quagmire trapped many of the Narutos in its thick mud, leaving them immobile and susceptible to Jiraiya's attacks. Still, the rear Narutos used their fixed comrades as stepping stones to approach Jiraiya.

Jiraiya found himself dodging two spin kicks from some of those Narutos. When that attack failed, more Narutos jumped from the backs of the kicking Narutos and tried to attack Jiraiya with ax kicks. Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest and took the brunt of the attack. He released his arms, and the force of the release made the Narutos tumble and fall back on even more incoming attackers.

The sun blocked out for a second. Jiraiya looked up to see what caused the blackout, only to find a large pile of Narutos descending on his position.

"Hari Jizō no Jutsu!" Jiraiya screamed. His hair began to elongate and sharpen. Any of the clones that fell on top of the Toad Sennin dispelled. Jiraiya started to rotate and extend his Needle Jizō technique, eliminating any and all clones within the 3 meter radius.

"Gamapucha!" Jiraiya screamed, grabbing the attention of his toad summon. Gamapucha avoided a thrust from one of Naruto's Toad's rod and jumped high into the air. Jiraiya followed suit, and he was on top of the toad. "Gamapucha, give me some oil!"

Gamapucha complied with his summoner's demand. Soon, his mouth bulge to at least 3 times its previous size. Likewise, Jiraiya rapidly went through hand signs.

"Now!" Jiraiya screamed as Gamapucha released all of the oil he gathered up inside his mouth. "Katon: Gamayu Endan no Jutsu!" The massive flamethrower Jiraiya released from his mouth intermingled with the highly flammable toad oil to produce an enormous inferno. Everything in the ground was instantly incinerated. It was difficult to see the puffs of smoke, indicating the dispelling of the shadow clones, but Jiraiya could hear it very well despite the cackling of the flames.

The toad summons could not handle such intense heat, so they cancelled their own summons. Gamapucha and Jiraiya landed safely on the ground, surveying the area to see the damage they caused. It's a surprise that nobody bathing in the waterfall nearby actually came to stop their battle so far.

Jiraiya crossed his arms over his chest and began to laugh. "Ha ha ha ha! See gaki, I told you that you were no match for the Gallant Jiraiya! You might as well have wrote your will before starting such a foolish fight with me!"

"Yeah, not bad Ero Sennin." Naruto said finally coming out of the woodworks. Jiraiya and Gamapucha turned to face the young, headstrong genin intending to finish this little bet. Jiraiya really wanted Naruto to halt his shenanigans and see the bigger picture.

"So, are you here to admit you're wrong and come crawling on to my side?" Jiraiya asked. "Well, if you gonna do it, might as well crawl while you are Naruko heh heh heh…" A perverted grin appeared on the face of Jiraiya, worrying both his summon and Naruto.

"Ew Ero Sennin. Such a fucking perv…" Naruto said, closing his nose and waving his hands in disapproval. "'Sides, I'm not about to give up." There was a huge surge of power surrounding Naruto. He was engulfed in a shroud of red chakra, and his features subsequently began to change.

"NO MATTER WHAT!" Naruto roared as his eyes changed to a crimson color with slit pupils. The whisker marks on his face thickened and his nails lengthened, giving Naruto a more feral appearance. Naruto bent his knees and tensed his palms in a stance similar to that of the Inuzuka style of taijutsu.

'Ah, so Naruto is finally going to use more of the Kyuubi's chakra…' Jiraiya thought. "Well gaki, its time to remove the kiddie gloves. Let's get started on round three!"

In a flash of blood red, Naruto impaled Gamapucha in the chest. He did not hit a vital area, because he did not want to kill a toad summon, but he really wanted the toad summon to leave. This was a battle between master and student, and no one was going to interfere with it.

'So the kid is much faster when using the Kyuubi's chakra eh? Interesting…' Jiraiya noted. Gamapucha dispelled in a puff of smoke to tend to his wounds. Naruto made a mental note to apologize to the poor summon later.

Once again, in blinding speed that no normal genin could hope to ever achieve, Naruto closed the distance between him and Jiraiya. He delivered a harsh right hook that Jiraiya tried to block with all his defensive mark. The punch was thrown with such force that Jiraiya actually stumbled backwards a bit before regaining his composure.

'So his power is increased drastically too…It's still not at my level but it's still pretty impressive for the gaki.' Jiraiya thought.

"So, what'd ya think?" Naruto said after collecting himself from the attack. "Let's just end this whole shebang and you lay down and say I win, ok?"

"Yeah, why don't I just throw in the red towel and kiss your feet now?" Jiraiya responded sarcastically. "Better yet, why don't I just hand my title over? You can be known as the Gallant Naruto! Sorry kiddo, the real world doesn't work like that. You still haven't knocked me down yet. You got some pretty smooth moves, but you're still a gaki compared to me." Jiraiya got back to his stance. "Come on, runt. Let's finish this."

"Likewise!" Naruto said, dashing at Jiraiya. Jiraiya, due to all of his combat experience and skill, evaded the punch and threw one himself straight at Naruto's face. Naruto was knocked back several paces, crashing on the floor violently. Jiraiya really did mean business now. There's no point in holding back.

Naruto rushed at Jiraiya. Jiraiya was expecting another foolish punch, but was surprised that Naruto resorted to a sliding kick. Jiraiya leapt out of the way and at the last minute saw Naruto's most familiar hand sign.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as two clones materialized in a poof of smoke. Both clones immediately kneed the midair Jiraiya, forcing him to block his torso yet again. Unlike other enemies, Jiraiya is a lot more aerodynamic, so he was able to retaliate with two kicks at the clones chests.

The clones were knocked back, but they did not dispel. 'These clones are far more sturdy then the previous batches.' Jiraiya thought. 'Plus, they have the same boosts as the original. I'd better be careful. Naruto can actually hit hard this time around.'

The original Naruto joined his clones on their position. Grabbing one of the clones by the back of their orange jacket, Naruto spun his clone around rapidly before flinging him to Naruto. At that, he and the other clone jumped high and towards the Toad Sannin.

Jiraiya avoided the Naruto bullet and subsequently grabbed him mid-trajectory. He tossed the clone at the airborne Narutos. Both Narutos avoided the clone bullet and balled their fists together for a large hammer fist. Jiraiya was not hoping to earn another bruise on his arm, so he jumped back to avoid the attacks. The hammer fist impacted the earth and left a very serious dent.

The clone bullet actually substituted with the second clone and followed up the failed hammer fist with a rising knee strike. Jiraiya grabbed the clone's knee to slow the attack and thrust his palm at the clone's chest. The clone flew back several paces, but recovered using his arms and legs. It proceeded to dash in a very feral manner, passing the original Naruto, who hopped on his back to gain height and attack with a heel drop.

The boost did not slow the clone in the slightest. It continued to move at a fast pace and attacked Jiraiya with a full body tackle. Jiraiya countered the tackle with a hard kick to the clone's face, actually causing the clone to dispel.

The original Naruto came crashing to Jiraiya with the added force of gravity enhancing his heel drop. Jiraiya knew that this Kyuubi/gravity enhanced heel drop would be fatal, even for him, so he quickly formed a Rasengan on his left hand, dodge the kick altogether, and smashed his spiraling sphere at Naruto's torso.

The Rasengan was meant to be nonfatal, so the rotation was reduced dramatically. The pure power contained within the condensed sphere of chakra was still potent enough to launch him several meters away. Naruto landed where the substituted clone was at, and the clone went immediately to work forming a Rasengan imbued with the chakra of the Kyuubi. The Rasengan glowed a brilliant vermilion color, and the rotation was faster and more controlled than any other previous Rasengan Naruto had formed thus far.

"Give it up gaki!" Jiraiya shouted. "I already know what you want. You want us to form simultaneous Rasengan and have them collide. The force of your Rasengan would obviously outmatch mine, and I would be knocked out by the concussive force."

Naruto stopped forming his Rasengan upon hearing his sensei's deduction. "Aw, Ero Sennin why do you have to be such a buzzkill?"

The rustling of the leaves above alerted Jiraiya of the presence in the trees. A group of 10 Narutos, each holding vermilion Rasengan came falling on the Toad Sennin.

"How do you like that?" The real Naruto shouted. "I call this one 'Shui Rasen Chō Tarengan!'"

The noise of destruction and clones echoed the horizon, as birds began to fly from their perches to find safer grounds.

* * *

_Konohagakure no Sato_

Sasuke was busy exercising his body under the severe conditions he was suffering. Having an unusable left arm was more of detriment than Sasuke could have imagined. It hindered his taijutsu training and almost altogether halted his ninjutsu training (since he did not have two hands to form hand seals and thus mold chakra efficiently). Doing normal exercise, such as push-ups and sit-ups became much more strenuous than it originally was. Overall, Sasuke was having a difficult time maintaining his previous training regimen with this 'disability,' and Sasuke was not happy about the mishap.

His ninjutsu training has been shifting because of the injury, however. After realizing that he could form seals with one hand, as demonstrated during his battle with Kimimaro, Sasuke has been focused on trying to relearn all of his current ninjutsu with one handed seals. Difficult would be an understatement for these attempts. The sheer amount of concentration when attempting to mold chakra with one hand was so taxing that often Sasuke would be rendered unconscious from the mental stress. Sometimes he wondered how the hell did Haku perform one-handed seals so efficiently.

Not only was it mentally taxing, but the amount of chakra focused on the hands increased as well. With two hands, there was a sort of equilibrium when chakra flowed to the seal. That's what made the formation of a jutsu relatively easy. In essence, it's possible to perform jutsu without the need for hand seals and signs. However, the sheer amount of mental concentration necessary to mold chakra with no seals is nearly impossible to handle with many ninja these days. It's completely doable with lesser rank ninjutsu, such as the Kawarimi no Jutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu, and Henge no Jutsu. But the mental capacity for higher ranked ninjutsu increased _exponentially_. Seal-less D-rank ninjutsu is difficult as is, but S-ranks is practical an existing impossibility.

One handed seals are much, much easier to handle than seal-less ninjutsu. But it requires an overhaul of any and everything a shinobi ever knew about using ninjutsu. Chakra flow is much more different with one handed seals than two handed seals. The act of making one handed seals becomes more difficult (it's easier to form a Ram or a tiger seal with two hands than with one). It helps to visualize the second hand so that forming seals become a tad bit easier. Yet it does not eliminate the difficulty entirely.

Sasuke started from the very first jutsu he performed with one hand: Chidori. Chidori was a simple, three seal ninjutsu that heavily focused Raiton chakra on the hand. This actually made performing one handed seals with the Chidori a little easier than, say, Goukakyuu no Jutsu. Still, Sasuke noticed that the amount of Raiton chakra radiating from his hand was lesser than using two hands. He concluded that he was not pushing enough chakra into the Chidori to bring it on par with his normal two handed variant.

This made some sense. When using two hands, Sasuke knew exactly how much chakra he needed to mold in order to get Chidori to work. With one hand, he was subconsciously using the same amount of chakra that two hands would use. This meant that Sasuke needed to push more chakra towards his right hand to equal that of a two-handed Chidori.

Sasuke lamented this fact greatly. He was happy that he finally realized what was wrong with his one-handed Chidori, but upon gaining this knowledge Sasuke hit yet another dead end.

Pushing more chakra to use Chidori meant placing more of a strain on his body. The more chakra he used, the more susceptible he was to the influence of the Curse Mark. Not only that, it increased the limits he can actually use the Chidori. Originally, he could only use Chidori twice a day. That was when he used both of his hands to form the seals. Now, he could only use Chidori (at normal power) once a day. Using one hand doubled the input for chakra necessary to use the Chidori. He could still use Chidori twice a day, but it would be less powerful.

Still, Sasuke was also interested in one more thing about Raiton. During his battle with Kimimaro, he cloaked his kunai with the Raiton energy of his Chidori. Sasuke dubbed this newly found ability "Chidori Kunai," and was quite pleased with the brand-new long range form of Chidori. However, new ideas began to sprout in Sasuke mind. What if all metallic weaponry could conduct Raiton chakra in the same was as that kunai?

Yes, Sasuke was currently going to learn the Gunbai Uchiwa as his new primary weapon. However, that did not mean that he should limit himself to _only _learning the Uchiwa. Besides, the Uchiwa did not mix with his elemental affinities well at all. It's difficult to conduct Raiton chakra, because of the material it is made of, and it primarily utilizes Fuuton chakra for its attacks. Sasuke has absolutely no knowledge of Fuuton manipulation (something he'll need to discuss with Kakashi when his arms get better), so he couldn't use the Uchiwa to the fullest potential.

That did not mean that Sasuke could not learn Fuuton. Kakashi had an elemental affinity for Raiton, but he could use Katon, Suiton, and Doton. It's possible that the Sharingan made learning newer elements easier, but it's still possible for a non-Uchiha.

Still, Sasuke should also focus on finding and learning a weapon discipline that could make the most of his Raiton affiliation. Using Kunai can only go so far. It's a short range mêlée weapon with long range throwing capabilities. But against an enemy that is quick and constantly moving, it would prove rather useless. Sasuke wasn't interested in learning the art of the Katana either. It was far too long for his tastes and could possibly throw off his center of gravity. But the idea of kenjutsu was rather appealing to him. A short sword he could use in conjunction with his Uchiwa. Fascinating.

Sasuke was lying on his bed, thinking about the things he's just learned today. He couldn't use a full power Chidori with one hand without the looming threat of the Curse Mark interfering with his attempts. He wanted to use secondary weapon that could work in conjunction with his Raiton affiliation. His injured arm interfered with a lot of potential training and exercise.

It seemed that the only thing Sasuke could do was increase his chakra reserves through intensive chakra control exercises. He was interested in improving the time he held the Sharingan; his goal was to maintain an active Sharingan for an entire day without feeling the exhaustion that comes with it. The mini leaf exercise he did in the hospital actually was pretty useful, but such a simple exercise can only go so far.

Sasuke needed to focus on improving his chakra control. But he could only go so far with water walking and tree climbing exercises. He has yet to work on waterfall climbing, but where exactly is he going to find a waterfall in the middle of Konoha?

There was a knock on his door. That's odd. Normally, people avoided the Uchiha Clan Compound, afraid that it may have some lingering spirits or other superstitious excuse. Sasuke was totally fine with the isolation. He did not personally enjoy being in the company of superficial people and people that did not try hard enough to relate to him. Yet, here he was, now having a guest.

Sasuke ignored the knocks, but it persisted after several minutes. He reluctantly got out of his bed to answer the door and subsequently drive out the prick that bothered to interrupt his thoughts.

"Get the fu-oh." Sasuke stumbled when opening the door to find Sakura on the other side. "Um. Hi Sakura. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to wish you a safe recovery Sasuke-kun." Sakura said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Thanks." He said sarcastically. "I really did need to be reminded for the seventy-fifth time. That's so helpful."

Sakura pouted. "Sasuke-kun, why do you have to be so mean?" She asked depressed.

"I'm not mean." Sasuke said in a manner-of-factly tone. "You're just annoying."

"And you're more blunt than a plank of wood." Sakura teased back. "What are you doing right now?"

"Thinking." Sasuke said, surprised at the length of their conversation. They actually managed to go farther than 30 seconds talking. This must either be a new record, or Sasuke really is changing.

"'bout what?" Sakura asked, putting a finger under her chin.

"Stuff." Sasuke replied, clearly not interested in discussing his personal thoughts and opinions to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"That's pretty darn specific." Sakura replied sarcastically. Sasuke really was rubbing off on Sakura. After a couple of seconds of awkward silence Sakura spoke up again. "Um, do you mind if I come in?"

"No." Sasuke said, slamming the door on Sakura's face. A large tic mark appeared on her forehead, and she bashed the door with multiple hard fists.

"OPEN THIS GODDAMN DOOR SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura screamed, annoyed that her beloved teammate just slammed the door in front of her face.

Sasuke finally relented and opened the door to the vengeful Valkyrie. "Wow Sakura, I've never heard you scream at me before. Must've pushed a nerve, did I?"

Sakura blushed heavily, embarrassed at her loss of control and ensuing anger. This was the sort of rage she would unleash on Naruto after he would tell people that he and Sakura were "going steady." She was always a polite, submissive, and willing girl in front of Sasuke. To drop the façade all of a sudden really shamed her immensely.

"I…I…sorry…" Sakura shyly said.

"Hn," Sasuke replied in his usual grunt. "Don't worry about it. I actually liked that little outburst of yours."

"R-really?" Sakura asked surprised.

Sasuke merely turned around and put his hands in his pockets. "I hate girls that chase after me blindly. They don't know me, so why should I care about them?" Sasuke said honestly. "Only a girl I respect is worthy of my affections, and so far I have yet to meet one."

Sakura looked bummed out. From Sasuke's revelation, it appeared that he still does not respect him. But, at the same time, a beacon of hope was lit up in Sakura's heart. As long as she can earn Sasuke's respect, she could (potentially) be his girlfriend! 'Shannaro! Guess who has the upper hand now, Ino-pig!' Sakura thought, fist in the air under the guise of victory. Sasuke was completely confused at Sakura's sudden feeling of triumph, but he shrugged it aside as something of a nuisance.

Sakura recomposed herself and turned to face Sasuke. "So…um…w-would you like to e-eat with me, Sasuke-kun?" She twiddled with her index fingers in the same manner as Hinata. Apparently, when around the object of her affections, she turns just as shy as Hinata, as opposed to her confident demeanor she exudes around Naruto and Yamanaka Ino.

Sasuke actually took some time to think about Sakura's proposal. In all honesty, he would rather run as far as his legs could carry him. He was seriously weighing that option, too. However, Sasuke would also like to bond more with his teammates. He's gained a newfound appreciation of them following Naruto's revelation. He did not want to go back to his darker self and shun his teammates for his pursuit of power. Besides, he could not do much in his precarious position.

Biting his lip, he spoke up to Sakura. "F-fine." Sasuke said. "We could go and eat somewhere…"

"Aww, okay." Sakura said in defeat, oblivious to what Sasuke just said. "I guess I'll just try…wait, what?"

"Don't make me regret my decision." Sasuke said coldly. "And DON'T treat this as a date. This is merely team building. Nothing more, nothing less. Do I make myself clear?"

Sakura exploded in bliss. "YAY!" she shouted out to the heavens. "I get to eat with Sasuke-kun!" She was dancing happily, ecstatic about her most recent victory. Sasuke could not help but palm his face. This is the perfect time to regret every and all positive compliments he gave to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Hey!" Sasuke shouted. "I said this was NOT a date! Don't let it get into your head!"

Sakura grabbed onto Sasuke arm, expecting him to lead the way. "C'mon Sasuke-kun! Take me to where you want to eat!"

'Tch.' Sasuke thought. 'Women. Now I know what Shikamaru's problem with females is…'

* * *

_Exotic Waterfall, Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato_

All of the debris and dust from the Shui Rasen Chō Tarengan blew up into a massive cloud. Visibility was reduced drastically as a result of all the dirt that drifted through the air. Naruto was panting hard; the battle against Ero Sennin was far more difficult than he originally anticipated. Jiraiya made the bell test look like a casual jog through the Academy's gymnasium.

A wind blew through the battlefield, clearing all the debris that hung around in the air. There were multiple craters littered throughout the area, stemming from the overwhelming power of the Kyuubi-enhanced Rasengan. It seemed that nothing was left of the poor Ero Sennin, which worried Naruto. He never meant to _kill_ his sensei, but he probably took it too far.

"Ero Sennin!" Naruto shouted, improving his voice through chakra and giving it a more bestial tone to it. "Where are you? I know you could've easily survived that attack. Stop playing around and let's get back to the bet!"

There was no response. Naruto scratched the back off his head and walked to the crater zone. He searched around the premise for any sign of the poor pervert. Unfortunately, after several minutes of searching, nothing popped up.

"Dammit, maybe I did kill him…" Naruto said worriedly. "Shit, what am I gonna tell Tsunade-baachan?"

Just as Naruto pondered that thought, a fist connected with his cheek. To Naruto, it seemed like time slowed down as the fist exploded across his face. It was delivered with a sheer amount of force, and Naruto can feel fragments of his teeth chip off from the impact. As time flowed normally for the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, he was blown violently across the clearing, crashing through multiple trees before decelerating.

Naruto wearily rose up. He was a little dazed from the powerful punch. He truly did not think that Jiraiya sensei was capable of such a punch. This punch was on par with that of Tsunade and Sakura, and the mere memories of being hit by those two ladies sent shivers down his spine.

"So you honestly thought that I was KIA, did ya?" Jiraiya said, shaking his fist. He put as much power into that punch as possible. "You gotta remember one thing in your life, gaki. The Gallant Jiraiya doesn't kick the bucket easily. He kicks ass before he kicks buckets!"

"Heh." Naruto chuckled, wiping some blood from his mouth. The Kyuubi was already healing the minor chips from his teeth, reverting them back to their original forms. "I honestly thought I did kill you. DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!"

"Kid, it's your fault for being so overconfident." Jiraiya said. "At least you managed to check before making conclusions. You just didn't check everywhere?"

"How-"

"I substituted with the Naruto right next to you. You were so enticed with your 'new' jutsu that you didn't even notice my presence right next to you. I swear, I could've closed that gaping mouth of yours and you still wouldn't have noticed."

"You mean-"

"Yep. You killed a shadow clone. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't even noticed it yet. Do you block out everything when you fight?"

"What do you…forget it." Naruto said, frustrated. "Dammit, I was played for a sucker again! Kakashi-sensei did the same thing during our bell test!"

"The bell test, huh?" Jiraiya said in a reminiscent tone. "You guys took the bell test too?"

"Uh…yeah?" Naruto asked confused.

"Wow. I can't believe it's still going!" Jiraiya said. "My sensei gave me our team the bell test, and I gave the bell test to the Yondaime Hokage. To think that Kakashi would give the bell test to his kids…" 'And to think that the son of Minato would pass it too…fate plays some cruel jokes indeed…' Jiraiya thought on the side. It was just far too many coincidences that the practitioners of the bell test would lead such similar lives. If only the Yondaime Hokage's genin team were to survive to this day, Jiraiya was certain that they would turn out just like his team.

No, probably better. Kakashi may have been a little cocky and arrogant as a youngster, but he wasn't as malicious, cruel, or power-hungry as Orochimaru. Fortunately, Sasuke was able to walk away from the temptations of power, and by extension not become a miniature Orochimaru. But all these coincidences were just too frequent. If fate could be defined as a series of frequently occurring coincidences, than the bell test would surely fit under that category.

"Wait…Kakashi-sensei took the bell test, too?" Naruto asked amazed. "How'd he passed? What'd he do?"

"Woah woah woah, slow down!" Jiraiya said, astonished by the kid's sudden insight. He didn't directly said that Kakashi indeed took the bell test. But Naruto managed to correctly infer that point. 'The brat is brighter than he looks.' Jiraiya said with a smile. Of course Naruto was smart. His methods of learning the Rasengan were nothing short of brilliant, and he managed to learn it in less than a month, much better than Jiraiya's 3 months or Minato's 3 years. And that was without the added training benefits of shadow clone training. One day, Jiraiya is going to have to teach shadow clone training to Naruto. It's only going to benefit him in the long run.

"Yeah. Kakashi did take the bell test." Jiraiya said. "And he did pass. He was in my previous protégé's genin team. Well…" He scratched his head. "Well, he was a Chuunin in the Yondaime's genin team."

"WOW!" Naruto exclaimed. "Kakashi-sensei's much cooler than his pervy books make him look!"

Jiraiya stressfully pinched his eyebrows. Obviously, Naruto could not possibly appreciate the art of fine literature!

"Okay, enough with the past." Jiraiya said. "Naruto. Just give it up, kiddo. Not every battle can be won. You gotta understand that sometimes a tactical withdrawal can be a better solution to outright defeat. Hell, I'm already packed and ready to go."

"Ero Sennin, how many times do I have to tell you?" Naruto replied. "I don't give up and I never go back on my word!" As Naruto said that, Jiraiya felt the blonde's chakra spike suddenly. "If you wanna get me to go with you to that stupid training trip of yours…" The already feral and bestial features of Naruto's body were becoming more defined. His claws were lengthening further, his whisker marks were becoming bolder, and his eyes changed from crimson to bloodshot. "YOU'LL HAVE TO BEAT ME TO A BLOODY PULP!"

The pressure of demonic chakra exploded outwardly from Naruto. It was so intense that Jiraiya felt himself being pushed back quite a bit. All of the pressure stopped being exerted, and started to gather around Naruto's body. He was developing a unique crimson chakra cloak in the shape of a…fox? His cloak had one tail and long fox ears. The cloak surrounding his hands and feet looked more like paws. He even changed his battle stance, getting on all four in a manner resembling a fox ready to pounce on its prey. 'Naruto is using more of the Kyuubi's chakra. Just how much chakra can this boy actually use?' Jiraiya thought in astonishment.

Naruto released a bloodcurdling roar. If any bird or wildlife did not vacate the area during his and Jiraiya's bout, all wildlife within the 5 mile radius began to scurry away from the battlefield. Birds flew from the trees and headed south and squirrels and rabbits ran into caves and hollow trees. Even the fish began to swim downstream in an attempt to remove themselves from the battle.

Following the roar, Naruto faced his sensei with determination in his eyes. "Let's go!" He growled. He charged at Jiraiya with all fours, attempting to tackle his sensei to the ground and end this battle.

* * *

_Konohagakure no Sato_

"So then Ino-pig began to scream 'No, it's not fair!' and I was like 'Well, you bet on it, and you lost!' and we got into this argument about-"

"Sakura." Sasuke said, stopping Sakura's pointless rant. "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked. "The only thing I'm feeling is your nice biceps and-"

"I told you for the seventh time to get off me!" Sasuke shouted, shrugging Sakura off his arm. Yet, Sakura was immediately attached to the arm again after several milliseconds. "…Why are we eating together again…?"

"Team building!" Sakura answered enthusiastically. It may be 'team building,' but Sakura was going to make the most out of the time she was going to spend with Sasuke.

"…Forget it…" Sasuke sighed in defeat. Never again. "So, you sure you didn't feel that chakra?"

"Um…" Sakura thought carefully. "Yeah, I think I did feel some odd chakra coming from outside the village. It was only for a couple of seconds though…"

'Hmm…' Sasuke thought. 'That chakra…It felt just like the time we were in the Forest of Death! Could this be Orochimaru's chakra? No. It's much more…malicious. This can only be…!' Sasuke began to rush off towards the source of the chakra.

"Sasuke, where are you going?" Sakura asked.

"We'll eat some other time!" He shouted, still heading to the source of the chakra surge. "I'll take you out to eat sometime this week, okay?" After a while running, he disappeared from Sakura's sight, leaving her dumbfounded.

Wait. He said he would "take her out…" Does that mean?

"YAHOO!" Sakura shouted in what appeared to be her third victory shout of the day. "Take that Ino-pig!"

"Take what exactly, Forehead?" Ino suddenly said, scaring Sakura.

"I-Ino!" Sakura said in a stutter. She recomposed herself. "Sasuke said he was gonna 'take me out' to eat this week! Hah! I managed to score a date with him before you did!"

"No you didn't!" Ino shouted back. "Obviously Sasuke would never go out with a girl who's forehead can fit all the Hokage like the monument!"

"What did you say, Miss Oink?"

"Forehead!"

"Ino-pig!"

"Forehead!"

"Ino-pig!"

* * *

Tsunade was completing paperwork from Shikamaru's recent border patrol of the Sound/ Fire border. She was still not used to the sheer amount of paperwork of a Hokage. It saddened her a bit that the most powerful ninja in the village must resign to the fate of bureaucratic labor. She would much rather be gambling and drinking sake than filling out the paperwork for "Capture Tora #935."

She turned to face the Hokage monument, looking at the face of Namikaze Minato. It's such a shame that he died far too early in his life. He had the potential to surpass even her grandfather and sensei as the Yondaime Hokage.

Just as she was thinking about Minato, she felt the sudden surge of demonic chakra. 'So, Jiraiya. You're teaching the brat how to control the Kyuubi huh? It's about damn time, though I would've preferred if you did that outside the village.' Tsunade thought before turning back to the mountain of paperwork she needed to complete before the day's end.

* * *

Kakashi was resting under his sheets, reading _Make-Out Tactics, Vol. 5_. He was getting rather comfortable, and was preparing to "relieve tension," when he felt the surge of chakra pulsating from outside the village. 'This chakra…it's similar to the chakra I felt back at the Land of Waves! So is Naruto finally learning to control the Kyuubi? Sorry Kiyoji-san. I guess tonight I won't read about how you seduce Ayako-chan with a broom and two carrots…' He thought in disappointment...

* * *

_Unknown Location, Land of Fire_

A young, orange-haired female was sitting on the top of the highest tree in the lotus position, meditating. She has been in this position for several days, searching for something. Rather, she has been monitoring the positions of certain individuals from Konoha.

She felt the massive chakra spike, despite being more than 50 miles away from the village. She abruptly opened her eyes. This was important information she needed to deliver to her Boss.

"Zetsu-chan!" She shouted as loud as she could. "Zetsu-chan, were are you?"

A humanoid suddenly spawned right next to the female. Half of his body was completely black and the other half of his body was white. The white half of his body had more definitive, humanlike features, such as a mouth, sclera, ears, and other body parts. The black half was absolutely void of any distinctive body part, with the exception of his ominous orange eye. Even more odd, his shoulder had a weird, Venus flytrap-ish plant surrounding the head, giving the person a more exotic appearance.

"I told you not to call me that!" The creature known as Zetsu said. "I'm not a she! I'm a…I'm a…what exactly am I, again? Last I check, I don't think I have a penis…"

The young girl blushed at the mention of the male reproductive organ, but she regained her composure. "Zetsu-chan! I need you to report something to Boss!" She said excitedly.

"**What is it that you require of us?**" Zetsu asked, in a different voice from his previous statement.

"I felt it! The Kyuubi's chakra, I felt it!" she said, bouncing up in down in glee. "The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki has finally started using the Kyuubi chakra!"

"**That is indeed dire news.**" Zetsu commented. "_**He **_**needs to be notified immediately.**"

"Who?" The young girl asked, putting her index finger under her chin. "Leader-sama? Boss?"

"Um, I think it would be the Boss who needs to know this." Zetsu answered. "Leader-sama doesn't need to know this information right now. How many tails did you feel?"

"Well, considering the distance we are from Konoha, I can't give an exact estimate…" The girl replied in a melancholy tone. "I…I guess that it would be…um…one or two tails at most…*sniff*"

"**One or two tails? Leader-sama does not need to concern himself with such trivialities.**" Zetsu commented with his darker voice. "**If it were four or more tails, he would probably need to know. For now, we'll just give this information to the Boss and see what he has planned. Any information about the other VIP?**"

"No." The young girl sniffled. "My jutsu could only detect relative positions and chakra spikes. So far, he hasn't left the village at all, nor has he been surging chakra out. I felt some Raiton chakra occasionally, but that's the most he's actually used."

"**So nothing to report on him, huh?**" Zetsu asked. "**Very well then. We'll update the Boss on the Kyuubi's current predicament. I'm sure he'll head to Konoha himself to get more of an in depth analysis, so continue to monitor the situation.**" With that, Zetsu disappeared into the tree, leaving no trace of his being there.

The young girl faced the setting sun. "Kyuubi, you're exciting and all, but I really wanna play with my lyre again…" A soft tear trickled down her face before she wiped it off. "No, I have to do this! Boss trusted me with this job, and I won't let him down! I won't fail his dreams!" She resumed her meditative stance and continued to observe the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki under the glow of the crimson light.

* * *

**Hey Y'all!**

**Hope you guys enjoyed the First Special of _True Paths to Power._ Hope you are also enjoying your Memorial Day (If you are American) or your average May 27th (If you are not an American).Now we can return to your regularly scheduled mayhem. Or not. I have an important announcement to make. **

**Good news everyone! I finally got a job! Or, rather a paid internship. Now work Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10AM to 4PM. As such, I will not be able to make it to the library in time to update _True Paths to Power _or _Finding Conviction_. Because of this predicament, I have moved the update days to Tuesday and Thursday consecutively. From here on in, _True Paths to Power _will update on Tuesday, so do not expect anything on Monday.**

**This fight scene was very difficult to write. Primarily because of Naruto's lack of jutsu he could use. There is a slight possibility that Naruto may (or may not) know Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu, but I am going to assume he does not know the technique and just purely powered through the earth with his almighty Kyuubi chakra (and subsequently delivered that awesome ass uppercut to Neji).**

**So, I had him learn Rasen Chō Tarengan. How can he learn Rasen Chō Tarengan this early, before the three year time skip? Well, why not? He knows Rasengan, and he knows Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. Combine the two and BOOM: Rasen Chō Tarengan. That still wasn't enough to counter the amount jutsu Jiraiya knew. If Naruto knew some long range ninjutsu, I could have extended the fight by at least 5 or 7 more pages. Alas, that is not the case.**

**Welcome, mysterious OC! She makes yet another appearance in this story, this time 50 miles away from Konohagakure. I hope you guys are curious as to how she can monitor the movements of Naruto and the "VIP." It's not a special bloodline or anything (she doesn't have a bloodline). She isn't a sensor type, either. Oh the mysteries! We don't even know her name yet. All will be revealed soon, however. All.**

**I hope that I pulled off Sakura's character. I imagine her as a shy girl in front of Sasuke but exuding in confidence in front of everyone else.**

**I think I should start giving romanizations of the jutsu I introduce in the chapters. So, here we go!**

* * *

**-Kage Bunshin no Jutsu: Shadow Clone Technique**

**-Rasengan: Spiralling Sphere**

**-****Rasen Chō Tarengan: **Ultra-Many Spiralling Serial Spheres

**-Katon: Endan no Jutsu: ****Fire Release: Flame Bullet Technique**

**-Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Summoning Technique**

**-Doton: Yomi Numa no Jutsu: Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld Technique**

**-Hari Jizō no Jutsu: Needle Jizō Technique**

**-Katon: Gamayu Endan no Jutsu: Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet Technique**

**-Shui Rasen Chō Tarengan: Vermilion ****Ultra-Many Spiralling Serial Spheres**

**-Kawarimi no Jutsu: Body Replacement Technique**

**-Bunshin no Jutsu: Clone Technique**

**-Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Technique**

**-Chidori: One Thousand Birds**

**-Goukakyuu no Jutsu: Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique**

**-****Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu **

* * *

**Wow, That's a lot of techniques. I'll be romanizing these techniques from here on in, as well as answering questions.**

**Stats for Week 6: 27 Favorites, 40 Reviews, 41 Follows, 2 Communities and 2,546 Views! Guys, please check out the communities for _True Paths to Power_. There is 'Sasuke is a good guy' Fics ( community/Sasuke-is-a-good-guy-Fics/107124/) and Teamwork ( community/Teamwork/93414/)**

**Also, ladies and gentlemen, this story officially got its first flame! Thank you 4 for your positive words of encouragement (YOU SUCK! GODDAMN XP). I'll keep that in mind as I continue to impress and entertain the people that do enjoy this story.**

**I am currently reading _Sinister Chakra by _williams5505. It's a fan fic about Madara being sealed inside Naruto along with the Kyuubi. There seems to be hints of NaruHina, but Hinata is not the same Hinata. She was a orphan adopted by the Hyuuga. She's actually a Senju. It's a nice read, I recommend it.**

**No questions for this week, but I can see progress with this Fanfic. Thanks guys for sticking with me. Remember: Tuesday is _True Paths to Power, _Thursday is _Finding Conviction_ and June 1st is _Redemption. _See ya next week!**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/27/2013 4:24PM EST**


	8. Value in Trust

**Chapter 7: Value in Trust**

_Exotic Waterfall, Konohagakure no Sato_

Naruto charged at Jiraiya on all four limbs, his speed boosted exponentially by the power of the Kyuubi's chakra. 'Yes Naruto. Just like that! Use the Kyuubi's power just like that! Learn to control it, harness it, and use it as _you _see fit!' Jiraiya thought as the boy drew steadily closer.

Jiraiya was proud of Naruto. Somehow, he managed to learn how to use the Kyuubi's power of his own free will, as opposed to allowing emotions to tap into that giant reservoir of chakra. The whole point of the training trip was for Naruto to learn how to use the Kyuubi's chakra outside of Konoha, so that none of his precious people can get hurt. But it seemed that Naruto was already one step ahead of him.

Jiraiya braced himself. The charge was straightforward and simple, much like most of Naruto's taijutsu. However, he wanted to test his own strength against that of the Kyuubi's enhanced physical prowess. It seemed like suicide when Jiraiya first thought of it, but he was more than willing to put his life on the line for the sake of his protégé.

Naruto hit him with the force of a rockslide tumbling down a cliff. There was so much power generated into that one single tackle, it could have easily knock Jiraiya down to his backside. Hell, it probably would have ripped Jiraiya from his feet if Jiraiya had not already calculated the force of the impact and prepared his defenses accordingly.

Jiraiya grabbed onto Naruto's shoulders and began pushing with all of his power. Naruto was supported by all four limbs, whereas Jiraiya was using only his legs to provide force he needed to move Naruto. The two shinobi were locked in a tense stalemate, neither relenting their push against the other. For all it was worth, Jiraiya was having a truly difficult time overpowering the one-tailed Naruto.

"There they are!" a voice shouted, snapping Naruto and Jiraiya out of their stalemate. As they turned to see the new and mysterious voice, a shiver ran through both of their spines. The two were surrounded by impossibly gorgeous ladies with incredibly large busts. They all wore scantly cladded bikinis, doing very little to hide the women's "assets." While both Naruto and Jiraiya wanted to spend the rest of their time appreciating these beautiful woman and the seductive features, the ladies looked as though the wanted to unleash the wrath of the gods to the young shinobi and the old man.

"You…fucking…perverts!" One of the more busty lady accused. As she shook her fist left in right in agitation, Naruto and Jiraiya couldn't help but be conflicted. They were not sure whether they should be scared shitless from the sheer ferocity and killing intent of the sexy babes, or risk their lives going gaga at the motion of their breasts shaking up and down, threatening to let loose the nipples that were dying to pop out.

"How dare you guys have a spar while we are out here…bathing?!" One of the brunettes asked. "I feel so violated!" As if to prove her point, she covered her breasts with her arms. She blushed very deeply, embarrassed that she was even showing herself like this in front of the two supposed perverts.

There were about 15 ladies surrounding Jiraiya and Naruto in a half-arc. Both of the shinobi were trying their hardest to suppress whatever nosebleed threatened to gush out of their noses. They knew that any sign of deriving sexual interest from their predicament would leave them so utterly decimated by the subsequent beat down that they could never be shinobi again.

Jiraiya finally took the opportunity to speak to the infuriated femme fatale.

"Heheheh…" He laughed nervously. "Ladies, it's not what you think heheheh…" He was shaking his hands in a gesture that meant they had no idea of their presence. It was an obvious lie, of course; Jiraiya was planning on resuming his observations after he beat Naruto to a pulp. "Isn't that right Nar-UMPH!"

While Jiraiya was trying to calm the ladies down (futilely), Naruto took the opportunity to tackle his sensei forcefully to the ground before breaking off into a mad dash for his life. Jiraiya could hear his parting message dissipate as his distance grew larger.

"Sorry Ero Sennin!" Naruto screamed as he ran faster. Naruto's affectionate nickname earned Jiraiya a growing ire from the rest of the women in the group. "But a ninja takes advantage of any and all opportunities! Good luck, have fun, see ya in six months!" Not even his chakra cloak could be seen as it disappeared in the horizon.

"Damn that brat!" Jiraiya said rubbing his chin. When he looked up, he felt the intense amount of killing intent radiating from every women in the area. He gulped deeply; the amount of killing intent each woman exuded was equivalent to that of Tsunade when she found him peeking on her. That meant that there were 15 Tsunades all wanting to kill him. He chuckled nervously again, knowing that he was not going to get out of this without receiving multiple concussions and ending up in a coma.

"The blonde brat got away!" The redhead said disappointedly. "Dammit, he left the old geezer and bolted for the hills the first chance he got!"

"Don't worry about the kid." The purple haired female said. "We at least got the perverted old no-life to beat the shit out of!"

Jiraiya, knowing that the end was imminent, decided on leaving one snide remark before he left himself to his demise.

"Now, ladies please." Jiraiya said, sweating profusely at the potential consequence of his actions. "There's more than enough of the Gallant Jiraiya to go around. You shouldn't fight among yourself to see who gets the most downtime! Please, take your t-"

Jiraiya was interrupted when a fist broke his nose and launched him several feet away.

"Gladly," All of the girls said simultaneously before pouncing on him like vicious vultures scavenging the day old meat at the side of the road.

A scream of agony could be heard all the way to Konoha. Subconsciously, all perverts (closet and open) in the immediate area covered their penises and checked nervously around before mourning the loss of one of their kin.

* * *

Sasuke ran out of the village as quickly as possible. After coming to the realization that Naruto was the source of the powerful chakra bursts, he moved fast to find out why. He did not want to admit it, but he was a little _too _worried about his blonde teammate. He could not help it; Naruto was his best friend. But something about the tremendous chakra pulses rubbed Sasuke off in the wrong way.

It was in the Forest of Death. Orochimaru had targeted and attacked Team 7 in order to "gift" Sasuke with his Curse Seal of Heaven. Sasuke was frightened terrifically and was incapable of battle. Yet, Naruto braved the overwhelming odds and fought Orochimaru, despite the clear gap of skill between the two ninja.

Naruto had gained a strange power. He had a slight tint of crimson surrounding him, and his physical power was boosted immensely. He was able to divert a massive snake summon's movement with a simple haymaker. He even stopped the snake in his tracks using only two kunai and his own strength. When he stared into Naruto's eyes, he looked far different from what he used to look like. Instead of his normal cerulean eyes, he had crimson eyes with an animalistic slit to it. The whisker marks on his cheeks were enlarged and his canines were longer and sharper, giving him a more feral appearance to him. For a moment, Sasuke felt as though his best friend was more of a…fox…than a human being.

That moment in time was etched in his mind for the rest of his life. Not only did he realize that he got scared far too often than what it was worth, but he also saw Naruto for the man he truly was; a shinobi who unwaveringly followed his Nindo down to his last breath. His respect for the blonde idiot improved dramatically afterwards, and afterwards Naruto had done nothing but impress him continuously. It even came to the point that Sasuke actually desired to fight Naruto. He still does want to fight Naruto, but Sasuke realized that there was a lot he actually does not know about his blonde teammate.

Now that he thinks about it, there is very little that he actually knows about the Naruto. He knows that he does love ramen, especially the ramen that Umino Iruka buys him. He also knows that Naruto desires to be the Hokage. Yet, outside of that, he knew very little.

Naruto was an orphan, much like himself. But Naruto has no recollection of his former family. He's never even heard of the surname "Uzumaki" before. Naruto does have intense stamina and massive chakra reserves, but it's unknown where or why he that is the case. Could he have some sort of hidden bloodline that gave him those advantages? 'It's funny; Naruto may know more about me than I know about him.' Sasuke thought with an audible chuckle.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when a blur sped past him, as if running for its dear life. Sasuke couldn't see the face, but he could recognize the blonde hair and the orange jumpsuit anywhere. Immediately, he stopped and turned, dashing quickly and boosting his speed with chakra.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed, trying to get the blonde's attention. "Naruto! Will you slow down?"

Naruto turned to face Sasuke. He was confused as to why Sasuke was here right now.

"Oh, heyya Sasuke!" Naruto said nonchalantly. "What brings ya over here this fine evening?"

"I felt a weird chakra come from this direction so I went to check it out." Sasuke answered.

"Oh, didya now? Heheheh…" Naruto chuckled nervously. This caused Sasuke to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Did you feel that chakra too?" Sasuke asked with his suspicions aroused.

"Pft. What chakra? What are you talking about?" Naruto asked apprehensively. Naruto's sudden anxiousness piqued Sasuke's inquisitive spirit.

"Dobe, let's be real. The chakra was coming from this direction and you are leaving from the same place. You're telling me that you have absolutely NO idea about the sudden pulse?"

"C'mon teme!" Naruto asked pleadingly. "I'm not a sensor type, I couldn't have possibly felt that!"

"You idiot!" Sasuke called out, smacking Naruto in the back of his head. "Me neither. But it was so strong that I could feel it from all the way back in the village. Just admit it Naruto; You do know something about this, don't you?"

"Alright Sasuke…" Naruto said grudgingly, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I was training with Ero Sennin when this super strong ninja came over and started fighting for no reason!"

"Ero Sennin?" Sasuke asked, almost not desiring to know exactly who the person was.

"Yeah, Ero Sennin!" Naruto said. "Ya know, the pervy sage?" Sasuke shook his head. "Um, the peeping tom?" Another shake. "The…um…frog sage?" Vaguely familiar, but still no dice. "Look, it was that Sannin fellow, Jiraiya! He likes looking at woman will they take baths and shit."

'What?' Sasuke thought in amazement. 'Naruto was being trained by one of the Legendary Sannin?' Suddenly, Sasuke inwardly wished he accepted the offer to be trained by Orochimaru. Sakura got an apprenticeship with Tsunade, and Jiraiya was willingly training with Naruto. Maybe that's where Naruto learned that powerful ninjutsu…

Sasuke was pretty much alone in his training. Maybe he could get Kakashi to focus a little more on training him, but while Kakashi was the infamous Copy-nin, he was not in the same pedestal as the two Sannin.

More importantly however. Jiraiya was a pervert?

"Hmm, your story seems to check out." Sasuke lied. "But I need you to describe the ninja Jiraiya-sama fought with. I felt his chakra before so I have a good idea what he was like."

"You…you felt his chakra before…?" Naruto said hesitantly. "Uh…wow…um…I didn't really get a good look at him. I…uh…was practicing a new jutsu? Yeah! I was practicing this totally kickass new jutsu!"

"Well, surely you must have taken a glimpse. Here, I'll describe what little I remember of him, and you confirm whether or not I was correct."

"Alright…" Naruto said in a sigh.

"Did he have spiky blond hair?"

Naruto seemed to be in deep contemplation. He then slapped his hands with his fist as if he had an epiphany. "Yeah! He had spiky blonde hair!"

Sasuke smirked. "Was he wearing a stupid orange jumpsuit that screamed 'Kill me now?'"

"Yeah, Yeah!" Naruto said excitedly. "Yeah, such a stupid jumpsuit. Like what kinda idiot would wear something like that?"

Sasuke almost chuckled. He needed to keep his calm and serious demeanor to get this to work.

"Did the man have ugly and abnormal whisker marks that made him look like a monster?"

"Yeah! Gross huh? I couldn't believe he was even human!"

Sasuke held his urge to face palm. Was Naruto _really _that oblivious?

"Did he have this ridiculous grin that read 'I wanna be Hokage, believe it!'?"

"YEAH!" Naruto shouted in excitement. "Such a stupid grin! I mean, who in the right mind would…want…to…SASUKE, YOU BASTARD!"

Sasuke broke into a mad laughter. Naruto couldn't help but smirk. It's not often that Sasuke laughed. But Sasuke was satisfied. He got Naruto exactly where he wanted him.

"So you admit it?" Sasuke asked.

"Admit what?" Naruto asked, still defiant.

"That it was you that burst that weird chakra." Sasuke said. "I remember, back at the Forest of Death. I remember that same chakra. There is nowhere else where that chakra could come from."

Naruto was silent. He clenched his hands tightly, contemplating on what he should tell his best friend. Truth be told, he had no idea how much he should actually trust Sasuke. He only trusted very few people, and he was worried that Sasuke may actually turn the other way and end their fragile friendship. It was the ultimate test of friendship, and Naruto decided to take the risk.

"Yeah…" Naruto said, looking down on the ground. "The chakra is mine."

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "Why do you have different chakra? Why is your chakra so…malicious?"

"I…I…" Naruto stuttered, not sure how he should begin this conversation. He always thought he knew exactly what to say in the possible chance that he needed to disclose his information, but in reality he was speechless. "I…I'm the…the container of the K-Kyuubi…"

Sasuke's mouth slackened. He opened and closed his mouth trying to say a word, but nothing came out. "Wait, what?" He finally said after several minutes of trying to speak.

Naruto looked frustrated. He did not want to repeat this fact, but Sasuke seemed to not comprehend the full implications of his revelation.

"I'm…the container for the Kyuubi no Kitsune." Naruto said clearer.

Sasuke couldn't say anything. What a bombshell announcement. Yet, now that he thought about it, Naruto was abnormally socially isolated. People stared at him with such pure hatred and scorn, as if blaming him for their difficulties. At first, Sasuke could care less about Naruto's predicament. But now…now was different.

"How? Why? I thought the Yondaime killed the Kyuubi."

"The Yondaime couldn't kill it. You can't kill a monster made outta chakra." Naruto said in a surprising amount of clarity. "So he did the only thing he could've did; he sealed the Kyuubi inside of me."

"Why?" Sasuke asked angrily. Naruto flinched at the reaction Sasuke had at the news. He was surprised that Sasuke would actually be so angry at the prospect. "Why would he do such a thing?! Why would he throw away the life of a baby?"

"I…I don't know…" Naruto said hesitantly. "I honestly don't know. I ask that myself that all the time. Why? Why would he…" A tear fell from Naruto's face. Today, he was supposed to beat Jiraiya. He was supposed to be with Sasuke and Sakura for at least another 6 months. He was supposed to go to the Chuunin Exams and pass it with everybody. But now he was revealing his greatest secret to his best friend. It was more painful than he imagined. "Why would he ruin my life?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke said before he trailed off. This was something he had no experience with. Comforting was something Sakura was better at, probably because she was a female. Sasuke had always been a loner. He had poor people skills and it was a wonder how he was even friends with Naruto. But he knew that he had to do something.

"Naruto…I…I don't know what to say." Sasuke said.

Naruto looked down. He expected this, but it hurt him far more than he thought. He turned away to walk back to the village before he was grabbed in the shoulder.

"Naruto, wait!" Sasuke said. "Look…" Sasuke honestly had no words for this. "Fuck! Dammit, I…shit!" He brushed his hand over his head, searching for words that simply would not come. "Naruto, look." He finally said, after some internal debate. No matter what happened in the past, just know that you are still my best friend."

"Sasuke…" Naruto said. He couldn't believe the words that came out of Sasuke's mouth. He still considered him his best friend, despite the horrible secret Naruto had kept from him. Soon, he found himself shedding more tears at this fact.

"Dobe, what are you doin-DON'T HUG ME!" Sasuke shouted. He brushed off Naruto's attempt to hug him before getting back to what he was going to say. "Baka, isn't a ninja not supposed to show any emotions?"

Naruto wiped his tears on his sleeve. "Screw the rules!" Naruto shouted before he sniffled. "It's like I told Inari before I went to the Bridge; a person should be allowed to cry when they're happy!"

"Hmph, whatever." Sasuke said, putting his hands in his pockets and turning away. He thought about how much his acceptance meant to Naruto. Naruto must have led a truly lonesome life if something like that brought him to the brink of tears. How could the Yondaime have done something like this to Naruto?

Then again, Naruto did not simply just give up. He didn't just allow himself to wallow in the hate and despair of his predicament. He braved all of the abuse and neglect, and he came out strong. Naruto was resolute and firm in his conviction, and this was brought about because of the obstacles he had to overcome to get to where he stands now. Inadvertently, the curse that the Yondaime Hokage left Naruto was a blessing in disguise. Not because of the sheer power that Naruto was gifted with, but because of the person that Naruto had become. Overcoming his hatred made Naruto one of the strongest shinobi Sasuke ever knew, surely a worthy rival in his own quest to gain power. More important than that, Naruto was an irreplaceable friend, one who's companionship Sasuke valued above anything else.

Naruto had a lot to teach Sasuke.

* * *

From the distance, Kakashi observed the whole exchange between Naruto and Sasuke. He couldn't help but be proud at the growth both kids had gained as humans. Sasuke has become more open-minded and considerate, and Naruto had become more trusting and thoughtful. The once fierce rivalry that defined their early relationship was replaced by a steadfast friendship that was impenetrable.

Kakashi could not believe that this was actually happening. From his solo training with Sasuke, he could tell that the dark brooder was making some progress in terms of teamwork and cooperation. However, he knew full and well that Sasuke was hell-bent on killing his brother and avenging his clan. Often times, the Curse Seal broke out of his control and threatened to engulf Sasuke in its dark desires. Sasuke seemed reliant on Orochimaru's gift to give him the power he needed to learn Chidori. Kakashi managed to convince Sasuke to stop trying to tap into the Curse Seal for the duration of the training trip, but it seemed that his warnings fell on deaf ears.

Kakashi had heard that Sasuke entered a deep coma following his battle with Gaara at the Suna/ Oto Invasion. Sakura explained to Kakashi that Sasuke, while trying to protect her, used Chidori three times. Following the flop of his third usage, Sasuke was overwhelmed by the dark powers of the Curse Seal and incapable of moving. Kakashi cursed under his breath when he heard that. True, he was using the Curse Mark to protect his comrades, but the use of the Curse Mark, no matter how benevolent the reason, sways the infected into Orochimaru's clutches.

The Curse Mark is ingrained deeply within the chakra coils inside of one's cranium. That is the primary reason why Orochimaru bites his victims in the neck to engrave his seal; the coils on the neck intertwine with the spinal cord. There are three Stages for the full development of the Curse Mark. Stage one, "Assimilation," is when the Curse Mark enters the body as a foreign pathogen. The body naturally tries to eliminate. It's rare for subjects to actually have an immune system capable of fighting off the Curse Mark. 9 out of 10 subjects are killed when the Curse Mark overwhelms the subject, shutting down all vital organs, including the brain. The Curse Mark evolves into a symbiotic chakra entity when the body is capable of fighting it off, beginning Stage two, "Rehabilitation."

In the "Rehabilitation" stage, the body is offered augmentations as a result of Orochimaru's incorporated chakra. That is the primary cause for the appearance of the black markings around the subject's body. While Orochimaru's chakra increases the subject's own physical prowess by leaps and bounds, it's also designed to change the mindset of the subject. The subject becomes more bloodthirsty, primal, and instinctive, relying on pure force to destroy the opposition as opposed to wit and tact that shinobi are accustomed to. While the subject is using or relying on the power granted to them by the Curse Mark, the Curse Mark sends signals to the brain, notifying it on where the body is truly receiving the growth; Orochimaru. When the subject becomes gripped with the use of the Curse Mark, it also comes to terms with Orochimaru being the benefactor of the newfound and addictive power. When the mind accepts Orochimaru as the superior, signals are released to the Curse Mark, and the Final Stage commences.

In Konoha, it's generally agreed that there is a third and final stage in the growth of the Curse Mark. Yet, research of Mitarashi Anko's Curse Mark yields no fruit as to what it is exactly. It is possible because of Anko's active defiance against the "whispers" of the Curse Mark, but research as to the makings of the Curse Mark cannot be continued with Anko as the only living subject. Yet, from anecdotal accounts provided by the genin team under Shikamaru, it can be deduced that the final stage is a complete transformation into a more grotesque, but more powerful creature.

Kakashi was worried that Sasuke's overuse of the Curse Mark in the course of the last couple of months would have lead him to that final stage. But his fears were unrealized as Sasuke began to fight the temptations of power in favor of deeper bonds and friendships. Kakashi just found it implausible that Sasuke could actually form such friendships. But, Naruto himself was an enigma. Anyone who came across the blonde shinobi would find themselves enticed by his words and actions, or impressed with his perseverance. It worked with Kakashi himself, it worked with Haku and Momochi Zabuza, it worked with Gaara and the Suna siblings and it worked with Tsunade. Why would it not work with Sasuke?

Kakashi smirked before leaving the boys to their own designs. 'Minato-sensei, Kushina. Both of you would be so proud of Naruto's growth. He's come a long way.' Kakashi thought with satisfaction. 'Obito…I wonder what you would have thought of your cousin, Sasuke? I wonder what you would say to him if both of you were to meet? I'm sure you would've hated him in the same way you bickered with me…but things could have been different, could it?'

Kakashi travelled a little further into the outskirts, trying to find Jiraiya. Before Naruto was discharged from the hospital, Jiraiya told Kakashi of their whereabouts, in case something bad was to occur. From the massive pulse of chakra that Naruto exuded earlier, he knew that Jiraiya was right in his foresight. The fact that Naruto also did not leave with Jiraiya also troubled Kakashi somewhat. It either meant that Naruto was strong enough to brutalize the Sannin (which Kakashi doubted), or Jiraiya must have met with an unfortunate fate, like the moon falling to the planet at the end of three days. Just then, Kakashi remembered mournful feelings for a fellow pervert. No, it couldn't be…

Some distance later, Kakashi arrived at the battle site. His eyes widened at the amount of destruction everywhere. He couldn't believe that his genin was fighting the Sannin and the results were such devastation.

Large craters littered the horizon everywhere. There were tree trunks blown away, possibly from the expansive force of the Rasengan.

A large layer of the forest was scorched. From the burn marks, Kakashi deduced that it was flames that were enhanced using some sort of accelerant, like toad oil. Jiraiya must have used Katon: Gamayu Endan no Jutsu during his battle with Naruto. He also noticed wet mud residue splattered around the ground. Mud most likely from a residing marsh, probably called forth by Doton: Yomi Numa no Jutsu. Such a high level ninjutsu on a genin? Naruto must have really been pressuring him.

There were large and small imprints of toad footprints everywhere on the ground, meaning that toads were summoned to do battle. From the direction of the toad footprints, Kakashi could tell that they were not fighting with each other, but rather against. What exactly went on during this "spar?"

Kakashi explored the battleground further, trying to find whatever was left of Jiraiya. The battle scene was apparently titanic, considering the destruction etched on the landscape. He found Jiraiya battered and bruised, left for dead at the edge of a waterfall.

Kakashi ran up to the Toad Sennin and check for his pulse. He felt a faint beat, meaning that Jiraiya was alive, but barely holding onto life.

Jiraiya was a wreck. He had a Broken nose, multiple broken bones, bruises all over his face, and scratch marks (presumably from nails) over every aspect of his body. 'Impossible!' Kakashi thought. 'Did Naruto really did this all to Jiraiya-sama?'

Jiraiya's body began to wheeze, trying to get in as much air as he could. Kakashi closed in on Jiraiya, worried about the condition of Konoha's strongest shinobi. Jiraiya began coughing violently before he spoke up. "K…Kakashi…?"

"I'm here, Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi said, holding him from his back. "It's going to be okay."

Jiraiya smiled before he coughed again. "Kakashi…come closer…" Kakashi nodded before leaning forward and closer to Jiraiya's mouth. "I…I *cough**cough* I…got it…"

"Got what?" Kakashi asked.

"I…got…my next…b…estseller…ugh" Jiraiya slumped over on Kakashi's arm.

"YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Kakashi screamed at the top of his lungs after the announcement.

* * *

Jiraiya woke up abruptly. The first thing he did when he regained consciousness was rub his nose. Unfortunately, it was still broken from earlier, and a sharp pain ran around his head.

"Ah!" Jiraiya shouted lowly before the pain weakened. "Damn. I really gotta stop being such a pervert. But my books don't write themselves." Jiraiya seemed to have reached an epiphany. "But isn't the job of a shinobi always surrounded with danger? I might as well keep going."

"If you don't keep going, I'll kill you myself." Kakashi said, reading his special edition copy of _Make-Out Tactics. _"So, what happened?"

Jiraiya rubbed his head to ease a coming headache. "So, me and Naruto got surrounded by a group of these amazing babes, and just as I was smooth talking my way out of the situation, like the Gallant Stud that I am, the brat suddenly blindsided me and ran for the hills! Seriously, what kinda low, underhanded, double-crossing, duplicitous, deceitful, cheap shit was that?"

"No offense Jiraiya-sama, but you do realize that we _are _shinobi, right?" Kakashi said. "Something like that was to be expected."

"Yeah, I know. I'm still kinda pissed. Hell, I'll be recovering from this for weeks!" Jiraiya complained.

"So…" Kakashi said, trying to change the subject. "I felt the Kyuubi's chakra from the village."

"Did you now?" Jiraiya asked while putting his hand under his chin. "I don't know how the gaki's done it, but he's managed to tap into the Kyuubi's chakra without having to invoke dark feelings and emotions."

"He could?" Kakashi asked in wonder. "The first time I felt the Kyuubi's chakra, Naruto had assumed that Sasuke had died."

"When I first saw Kyuubi's chakra, I kicked Naruto out of a cliff." Jiraiya said nonchalantly.

"You what?" Kakashi asked worriedly. He was really starting to regret leaving his pupil with Jiraiya.

"What? I had an idea and I implemented it. It worked and he didn't die. There, no need to go over small details like that."

"…I see…" Kakashi said halfheartedly. He squinted his eyes to express his disapproval for Jiraiya's methods.

"The thing is, I honestly thought he was never going to be able to tap into the Kyuubi's chakra freely whenever he wanted." Jiraiya said. "I presumed that he would learn that in our training trip, not beforehand. I wonder what happened during that mission. Did Naruto unlock something?"

"Probably." Kakashi said, though in a doubting tone. "We won't know for certain unless we ask him first. Even then, there is a strong possibility that he won't know himself."

"Well, I never go back on my word, so I'll let him stay until the next Chuunin Exams. That move was pretty damned dastardly, but it was a pretty smart and legitimate maneuver. However, I need to leave Konoha to make contact with my spy network. I can't train him at the moment."

"Which means that I need to train him myself then." Kakashi finished. "It's going to be hard training both Naruto and Sasuke, but I guess I can handle it."

"That pink-haired kunoichi, she's apprenticing with Tsunade-hime, right?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes, she is. We will still be an officially sanctioned team, and we will still go on *cough*D-rank missions*cough*, but Hokage-sama will be personally supervising the training of Sakura for the next three years. I can't do anything about it."

"Well, Tsunade-hime's skillset resonates with the girl more so than yours, Kakashi." Jiraiya said. "It would have been a better idea in the long run; the girl isn't a ninjutsu specialist like Sasuke or the gaki."

"I'm still going to miss my _cute_ little students." Kakashi said affectionately.

"Well, in any case Kakashi. Now that Naruto has unrestrained access to the Kyuubi's chakra, I would like you to start training him in elemental manipulation."

"That's also going to be tough. If he's anything like his father then he…" Kakashi said. Both he and Jiraiya looked pale yet again. Minato was close to the two shinobi, sharing some sort of Sensei/ student relationship at a given moment in time. "I think it'll be interesting."

"Good. Because it will be the first step in completing the Rasengan."

"Wait, you don't think…"

"Yeah, I think the kid has the potential. He's got shadow clones and he's got good teachers. Well, I'm a good teacher. I don't know about you."

Kakashi laughed. If Jiraiya believed that Naruto had the potential to complete his father's greatest jutsu, then he, too, would believe in the blonde. After all, he is his father's son. After that thought, Kakashi turned serious and looked Jiraiya straight in the eye. "There is one thing I want to ask of you."

"It's about the Uchiha, isn't it?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes. I've reapplied the Fūja Hōin to the Curse Mark, and I am pretty sure that Sasuke will not try to use it any further. However, the Curse Mark can still overwhelm my seal if Sasuke uses too much chakra. Is it possible that you can strengthen the seal, or create a new one?"

"I've worked with Anko's seal when she was first afflicted with the Curse Seal." Jiraiya said in a melancholy tone. That was about the same time that Orochimaru, his former best friend, defected from Konoha. He left everyone he ever held bonds for in exchange for a psychotic pursuit of power and immortality. "Although I could do nothing at the time, due to the seal being new and atypical, now I am certain I can stop some of the effects, like the whispers caused by chakra overuse. I'll take a look before I go."

Kakashi was grateful for Jiraiya's offer. Jiraiya was not the type of man that desired to teach prodigies. Sasuke would never have been his student at any point of his life. However, Jiraiya also wasn't the type of man to let bygones be bygones, especially when he had an option in making it otherwise. With the Curse Seal out of the way, Sasuke can truly commence with his training. And when Sasuke trains harder and becomes stronger, Naruto will train even harder to become so much stronger. That was the nature of their relationship, and Kakashi would not have it any other way.

* * *

_Unknown Location, Land of Fire_

The orange-haired female continued to keep watch on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and the Last Uchiha, much like her boss commanded her to. She noticed that the two of them rendezvous closer to the village and left together. She really wanted to know what the two were up too, but her jutsu only allowed her to obtain relative locations, not a clear image of their activities. She sobbed a few tears at the misfortune of her circumstance before she felt a disturbance in the space-time continuum close to her.

"Hi Boss…" she said grumpily. She pouted her sorrows away, sniffling the tears she welled up and the mucus that threatened to hinder her voice.

"So the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki has indeed access his Bijuu's chakra?" Her boss asked.

"Yeah." The orange-haired girl answered. "The Kyuubi boy's chakra made stronger than average interference with my own chakra. I guessed that such a spike came from the Kyuubi, though I don't know exactly how chakra the boy used. Probably one or two tails worth, but I can't be certain."

The boss was under deep thought. His subordinate had claimed that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki had activated one or two tails in the last 24 hours. Why, she did not know. She noticed a large chakra presence providing interference with her chakra as well, but not on the same level as the Jinchuuriki. What's more was that the spike settled shortly after it occurred, and the large chakra presence dwindled to nonexistent levels. This meant that the Jinchuuriki had fought someone extremely powerful, possibly an S-rank shinobi, and that he killed him before going incognito.

The S-rank shinobi could not have been an Akatsuki member. All Akatsuki worked in cells of two, with the exception of him (who is not an official Akatsuki yet) and Zetsu. Zetsu was not strong enough to actually engage in battle, and he was too busy searching for the location of the Nibi no Neko before he was summoned by his subordinate.

Well, the identity of the mystery S-ranked shinobi was irrelevant. What mattered was that the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki accessed the Kyuubi's chakra, and it gave him enough strength to neutralize a shinobi vastly superior to the jinchuuriki's abilities. This warranted special observation.

"Hmph. It seems as though I'll be revisiting my _beloved _village yet again." The boss said sarcastically. "I guess it's also time to reveal myself to the Uchiha. I was hoping to do so after he killed Itachi-san, but it seems that my plans must be hastened quite a bit."

"So you really do want Itachi-oniisan to fight with that Uchiha boy, huh?" the girl asked sadly.

"He needs to. To achieve his vengeance is ultimately his greatest desire. No human bond will take that away from him."

"But why see him now? Wouldn't showing yourself make him think otherwise boss? Wouldn't it sway him away from killing Itachi-oniisan?"

"He needs to know the gap of power between the Mangekyō and the normal Sharingan. He must be tempted to seek out the Mangekyō. Only by doing so will he cave into his hatred. He will be easier to manipulate as a result."

"Boss…you're so mean!" she screamed.

The man ignored her again. "I have your next assignment. You will infiltrate the rebel group of the Kiri Civil War under the guise of an Akatsuki agent."

"B…but, I…I'm not in Akatsuki yet!"

"You are indeed not in Akatsuki yet. However, we of the Akatsuki will never dirty our hands with such a massive civil war such as this. Not yet, anyways. We prefer to do solo assassinations, or be hired arms for proxy wars fought between the minor villages. While the rest of the official membership is out searching for the other bijuu and building our treasuries, you are the perfect operative to establish friendly relations with the rebel faction. When the rebel faction wins the civil war, we could have open relationships with the new Mizukage, all without wasting a single cent of our resources."

"You sound as though the rebellion's already gonna win. How are we gonna retrieve the Sanbi then? What about the Rokubi?" the girl asked curiously.

"All will come in due time." The boss said. "You will take a momentary leave of absence when the coming Chuunin Exams occur so that you can gather more data on the progress of the Jinchuuriki and the Uchiha. Other than that, you will not leave your station unless the rebel leader demands it, understood?"

"Yes sir, Boss!" the girl said ecstatically.

The boss looked at the girl from the single hole in his mask. He wanted to tell her that he believed that she would complete the mission without trouble or conflict. But he decided not to. Doing so would show human concern for the girl, and he would not allow himself to be influenced by human emotions ever again. Not after _her._

"You will complete all objectives of this mission without fault. That is what I expect of you. Do not let me down." He told her as he disappeared into nothingness.

She held her knees with her hand in a semi-fetal position. She thought about everything that was just discussed right now. The most important topic was the last Uchiha's desire to kill Itachi. Usually, she was indifferent about death, especially of other people. But she felt like Itachi should not die. Itachi was a kind, caring young man who always put others before himself. He even puts Kisame as a higher priority than himself. Sure, he killed the entire Uchiha clan, but…but!

* * *

**Doton: Yomi Numa no Jutsu - Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld Technique**

**Katon: Gamayu Endan no Jutsu - Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet Technique**

**Fūja Hōin - Evil Sealing Method**

* * *

**Hey Y'all!**

**Wow, I am pretty damned psyched! Today is the first day of the new schedule! I also had a pretty fun first day at work (or what most people would call a pretty lame first day at work, if you don't consider pushing elderly people to the gym fun, like I do). I'm looking forward to more work and continuing this story, It's getting me really excited!**

**Now let's see here...Not the kind of end most of you were expecting for the epic fight between Naruto and Jiraiya now where you? I had planned the battle to end just like this since the idea first popped into my head. I have no regrets.**

**Okay so Naruto beats Jiraiya and is now set for the Chuunin Exams in the coming months. If I am using a reliable timeline, then the Chuunin Exams occured in September. About 2 months have passed since the end of that Exam, and there are 4 months remaining for the Chuunin Exams. Sasuke needs 6 weeks for a full recovery, so he has less time than Naruto to train. But they'll be learning Elemental Manipulation! SWEET! Well, Elemental Manipulation as far as Kakashi could teach them. He's not going to teach them in the same way as Orochimaru would, but it will still be a stepping stone. Who knows? Maybe Naruto will finally have a long distance Fuuton technique!**

**Naruto reveals his secret to Sasuke and now they have a closer relationship. Will he do the same for Sakura...? Who knows?**

**Jiraiya is going to look at Sasuke's Curse Mark. It's going to be at least 10 years since he last saw a Curse Mark, but will Jiraiya have the means to reducing its demonic cries? Speaking of which, I hope you guys enjoyed the technical explanation I gave for the progression of the Curse Mark. I checked it with Narutopedia (which, other than the actual manga, is where I get my information from) and I am not going out of line from canon. So this is going to be official fanon for all of my stories.**

**The masked man is coming for a visit! Everyone, prepare yourselves for the confrontations between the Masked Man, Sasuke, and Naruto. It's going to be pretty sweet.**

**Is the girl starting to doubt The Masked Man? What kind of relationship does she have with Itachi? Oh its all so confusing!**

**But enough about that, we have some questions, courtesy of vincent1875. I thank him for giving me these questions to answer, as well as his constructive criticism. Hopefully my writing will improve after this.**

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**Q: Eh, you do realize that Gaara almost got killed by Kimimaro? (Refers to Chapter 2)**

**A: Yes, I do realize it. That doesn't mean that Gaara was still decimating the crap out of Kimimaro. Throughout their fight, Gaara was always on top, never relenting for an instant. Then Kimimaro does a super overpowered move by erupting bones from under the ground that probably would have killed any person incapable of flight or high jumps (like Gaara was). He also gained omnipresence over his bone forest by merging with his bones and popping out where ever he pleased. Kimimaro ultimately succumbs to his disease, but I could see many ways that Gaara would have still decimated Kimimaro, in spite of his new advantage.**

**Q: How did Naruto even know Gaara wasn't still crazy since that's the first time they met since their fight? (Refers to Chapter 3)**

**A: It's not about Naruto not knowing, its about Naruto not _judging. _Naruto is a trusting man, oblivious to a fault, but capable of seeing the good in people. Given sometime, he could eventually see some worth in a shinobi, no matter how insidious or twisted the shinobi's personality. He's not used to keeping judgments about people for the rest of his life, and can easily form friendships with people that he once hated, like Inari. So, he shouldn't hate Gaara forever. He didn't hate Nagato forever, right? And Nagato was the "leader" of Akatsuki. That's the beauty of Naruto's personality, and we as humans should strive to emulate his open-mindedness.**

**Q: Why is Sasuke looking away from a potential threat like Gaara if he's not sure about him? (Refers to Chapter 3)**

**A: Sasuke is more cautious than Naruto when it comes to meeting people. He's not going to immediately attempt to befriend them, rather he would form an acquaintanceship with them. Most of his acquaintances rarely evolve into friends. He's still not friends with Gaara, but its obvious to him that he's not as bloodthristy as he once was. He's still a little sore about his loss, and he might want a rematch. You never know (but I do hahaha).**

**Q: Why is he giving an after action report to Gaara? Who does Gaara think he is to demand one like that? (Refers to Chapter 3)**

**A: Sasuke was the only capable shinobi at the moment that could provide an accurate debriefing. Rock Lee was unconscious and Naruto is a lot on the slow side for these kinds of conversation. Gaara was at the employ of the Hokage for the time being, and he was going to debrief the Hokage in the place of Naruto when he returned. After all, Shikamaru would not have known what happened to Naruto after he left to find Kimimaro. Gaara does not think of himself as high-and-mighty, and If my writing makes you think otherwise, than I need to write better. I can't let people misinterpret Gaara's dialogue and actions.**

**Q: He knew that Kakashi lost to Itachi before this so why is he so surprised? (Refers to Chapter 4)**

**A: In this story, Sasuke did not know that Kakashi lost to Itachi. He was in a coma during that time.**

**Q: He knows that Itachi murdered the entire Uchiha clan so why does he think that his mastered Sharingan is all he needs?**

**A: Sasuke is brash and impatient. All he cares about was gaining power to avenge his clan. He equated gaining that power with unlocking the Sharingan, so once he did that he felt that he was ready to fight Itachi. That's why he charged at Itachi like an idiot. Presumably, he subconsciously erased his memories of Tsukuyomi, because he did not take into consideration Itachi's Mangekyou either. If he thought about what Itachi did to Kakashi during their battle (in canon of course), then he would have realized that he was not yet strong enough to fight Itachi. The dude killed off his entire clan, what was in Sasuke's mind when he stupidly charged at the man? Nothing. Nothing but blind hatred. They say love is blind. The same can be applied to hatred.**

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**Once again a huge thanks to vincent1875 for his constructive criticism. I love your comments and reviews about how good my story is, but I love reviews that critique my stories. I plan on writing more stories following this one, but I need to get better before that can be a reality.**

**Next Tuesday is another release of _True Paths to Power_. Stay tune this Thursday for the release of _Finding Conviction. _Also, June 15th will be the 4th chapter of _Release from Pain, _formerly titled _Redemption. _Thanks for reading and enjoy your week!**

**-Blackrazgriz 6/4/2013 2:16PM EST**

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**NOTE (6/4/2013 2:18PM EST): I've changed the listing of chapters again. It's now according to chronological order of release date.**


	9. Gradual Improvement

**Chapter 8: Gradual Improvement**

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_Hokage Tower, Konohagakure no Sato (1 Week Later)_

A steady stream of chakra was gently emitted from Sakura's hands. After one week of practicing the basics, she was finally learning how to use the Shōsen Jutsu to resuscitate a fish from its near-death state. She frowned at the subject she was testing her technique on; the moment it can "breathe," it will begin to flop around energetically, in a vain attempt to get into a body of water. Essentially, she will be reviving a fish, just so that it can return to its near-death state. She disapproved of this method, but Tsunade easily disregarded her arguments. This style of learning was used with all medic-nin apprentices, and nobody had thus far complained about it. In any case, the world that they lived in did not have the luxury of pursuing animal rights. That concept did not even exist.

Regardless of what she felt, the chakra was flowing into the fish's tenketsu, revitalizing organs and providing the fish sustenance for life. The way that the Shōsen Jutsu works is similar to that of a blood transfusion. The user transfers his or her own chakra into wounds or chakra deprived locations in order to reinvigorate chakra production within the body. However, the body reacts very violently against foreign chakra. If too much is used, the victim may go into relapse, burning chakra faster than he could possibly handle. If used too little, the chakra transfer is void and useless. This is the primary reason why medical ninjutsu require high levels of chakra control. It's a very pinpoint subcategory of ninjutsu that requires utmost precision and care.

The fish began to flop around uselessly. Sakura did it; she revived her first fish. Tsunade couldn't help but be impressed with her new apprentice; Shizune took three weeks to learn the Shōsen Jutsu, whereas Sakura took one. Sakura wiped some sweat that accumulated on her brow. Performing the technique was not taxing, as it did not mandate a large reserve of chakra, but it was very intensive, requiring the highest amount concentration. After her success, Sakura was completely beat around the bush. She just wanted to lie down and fall right to sleep.  
Of course, Tsunade would not give her that luxury. She clapped twice, and two apprentices, one holding a cage, walked into the room. One of the apprentices took the fish from the surgical table holding tightly on to the fish as it struggled vainly to get away from her grasp. The other apprentice placed the cage on top of the table and removed the contents onto the surface. A small cat limped onto the table, a deep gash on the right side of its body. Sakura observed with slight shock in her eyes as the cat continued its pained stride towards no particular destination. Meanwhile, the fish on the other apprentice's arms stopped flailing and went lifeless. She quickly left the room, presumably to toss the corpse into a waste disposal.

"You have a great grasp on the Shōsen Jutsu." Tsunade praised Sakura. "I must say I am impressed with the time it took for you to learn the technique. It was near prodigal for a rookie such as yourself."

Sakura blushed. She still was not used to the praise she would receive from Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage. It was too much for her, considering how little self-esteem she actually had.

Ever since the mission to the Land of Waves, Sakura had doubted her own abilities. Kakashi told her that she had the best chakra control in the group, but she was left behind the dust by the progress of both Sasuke and Naruto. Both of her teammates came up with unique and effective utilities of the Tree Climbing exercise and used it during their battle with Zabuza and Haku. She may have been a natural at chakra control, but she was not an innovator. She couldn't use what little she knew and apply it in the field of battle, like Sasuke could. Nor could she recreate it into something wacky, yet oddly efficient, like Naruto.

She was especially frustrated that she couldn't surpass Naruto. He was the dead-last of their class, yet he improved so rapidly it was baffling. He knew B- and A-rank kinjutsu (Kage Bunshin and Tajuu Kage Bunshin respectively), had insane chakra reserves for no apparent reason, and was crafty and cunning. If Naruto was properly taught while he was in the Academy, he probably could have been on par with Sasuke; he could have even surpassed him. That thought completely frightened Sakura. Sasuke was an intelligent young shinobi and quite talented with the ninja arts. Just the thought of Naruto potentially exceeding Sasuke…

As she watched her teammates' progress faster and faster, attaining newer and farther heights, she was putting her own life into perspective. What sort of talents can she exploit to bring her back to par with her teammates? Nothing. While Naruto and Sasuke were completely confident in themselves at the start of the Chuunin Exams, Sakura continued to wallow in self-pity. All she thought about was how much of a nuisance she was to her compatriots, and how little she was doing to rectify that. She was not training harder or seeking Kakashi for advice. She was not taking advantage of the newfound resources provided for genin like her and she did not investigate what potential careers fit someone with her skillset. Hell, she did not even fix her diet. That alone probably would have boosted Sakura's stamina immensely.

Then Sasuke was kidnapped by the Sound Four, shortly after recovering from his coma. She could do nothing but cry in agony as she begged Naruto to bring him back to Konoha. She lamented every day the fact that she was ill suited for a rescue mission like this. She was a part of Team 7, yet she could do nothing but stay home while _others _risked their lives to save _her _comrade.

With this mindset, she was not used to receiving praise. She did not think of herself as capable of learning such a sophisticated branch of ninjutsu like medical ninjutsu. The only thing she thought about was how to better herself so that she can be more reliable for her teammates.

"T-thank you, Hokage-sama…" She stammered, refusing to make eye contact with her sensei. She was proud of her achievement; she just did not know how to express her sense of accomplishment.

"Now, I know that you are tired. You've been standing there for 15 minutes trying to revive a fish. But don't think for a second that I'm going to relent on your training. We are moving on to the next phase." Tsunade said, patting Sakura on the back.

Although Sakura said not a word, she was grateful for that pat. It boosted her confidence slightly.

"Yes, Hokage-sama." She said. She was tired, but she wasn't going to start complaining. She asked for this apprenticeship herself, and the last thing she would want was to complain about how exhausting it was.

"Now then…" Tsunade said, putting a finger on her chin. "You've learned how to use your chakra to reinvigorate chakra within unconscious or near-dead subjects. For the next step, you are going to learn how to use the Shōsen Jutsu to heal wounds. Observe."

Tsunade walked up to the injured cat. The cat, suspicious and untrusting, reflexively took several steps back, but because it was badly injured it couldn't go any further than it did. Tsunade reassured the cat by petting it on the head. Sure, these animals were strays with no home and possibly disease-stricken, but she did not mind petting them. They had suffered a lot throughout their lives, much like she has, and all they do was continue the fight. Suicide was not an option for these animals.

Besides, she was the foremost adept at medical ninjutsu and pathology. Should she, by any chance, catch something, she could heal herself with no problems. Tsunade had not been sick for over 23 years. She was not going to stop now.

Her hands glowed with a vibrant green hue. She gently placed it over the cat's injury. The light was rather soothing for the mammal, and it grew docile and compliant within a few seconds.

Sakura could not help but watch in awe as the Shōsen Jutsu worked its magic. The wound began to rapidly heal, closing itself off, almost as fast as Naruto's healing factor. She watched him heal himself after a kunai accident several months back. Though the Shōsen Jutsu did not heal quite as fast as Naruto did, it was still pretty impressive nonetheless.

The healing was quick and painless, as evident by the cat's apparent ecstasy-ridden face. It looked as though it was swimming in a river of catnip. After 3 minutes, the cut was fully healed. Sakura couldn't believe Tsunade's handiwork. The cut was completely healed and did not have any scars. It was as if the cat never had a deep gash to begin with.

"Alright," Tsunade said, placing her hands on her hips. "Now, in order to heal cuts and other wounds, you need to excite your own chakra."

"Excite?" Sakura asked. She did not know chakra could get excited, much less have feelings.

"Yeah, excite." Tsunade repeated. "When you excite chakra, you are basically charging your chakra with an added dose of energy. To revive near-dead people and animals, you need to provide them with a steady, smooth stream of chakra to refresh their own chakra system. From there, their chakra repowers their vital organs, and the feeling of life returns to them."

Tsunade paced back and forth as Sakura gave her undivided attention. She was definitely like a toddler, eager and curious about the world around her.

"However, we are not trying to do that here. All the chakra must be directed at a central location, in other words the wound, cut, abrasion, etc. A slow, steady, and static stream of chakra is not enough to promote cellular growth or the formation of platelets in those areas, however. That's why you need to excite your chakra. Do you understand?"

"Yes Hokage-sama." Sakura answered. If anything, Sakura was capable of grasping concepts easily. More so than Sasuke and even Shikamaru, despite the latter's high IQ. Tsunade liked that about Sakura. Unlike Jiraiya, Minato, and Kakashi after him, Tsunade never had the opportunity to teach a prodigy. Well, Sakura was not a prodigy by definition, but she certainly was very bright.

"Excited chakra stimulates cellular growth and activities in the applied area. Skin cells undergo mitosis exponentially faster, and clots are formed at an accelerated rate. It's similar in procedure to my Sōzō Saisei, except healing wounds via Shōsen Jutsu does not decrease the life span of a human significantly. The Shōsen Jutsu does promote accelerated cell growth, but at a controlled and manageable rate. Sōzō Saisei should only be used for dire situations; that's only if you ever learn how to use it."

Sakura nodded her head. She studied the basic concepts of medical ninjutsu for the last two weeks, so she understood the effects it had on the human life span. Medical Ninjutsu fell under the category of Yang Release ninjutsu. Yang Release breathed life into form, and was the result of the physical manifestation of chakra. Chakra was the conjunction of physical and spiritual energies molding together within the body's tenketsu. Yang Release was composed of the physical aspects, while Yin Release, which created realities based off the imagination, comprised the spiritual aspect.

While all forms of ninjutsu fit under Yang Release (and had their own subcategories like Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning Release), Medical ninjutsu was the very definition of Yang Release, as the user used their chakra to physically reform or stimulate the body. Yin Release, on the other hand, required intense spiritual chakra, and all forms of genjutsu, as well as the dōjutsu of the Uchiha and the Hyuuga were under this category.

With a basic understanding of Yang Release (books and scrolls of the properties of Yin and Yang Release were pretty difficult to obtain, and Sakura had to research the topic using ancient texts from before the Shodai Hokage), Sakura was able to utilize everything she learned into her work. From this, she was able to blast through Tsunade's lectures easily.

Yet, she felt uneasy. Exciting chakra while simultaneously controlling the flow to the wounds and injuries felt sounded like too much work. She wasn't sure she could do it. Tsunade saw the look of apprehension on Sakura's face as she began to contemplate the difficulty of the next step.

"Sakura-chan." She said endearingly. "Sakura-chan, I've seen your progress over the last two weeks. I've commented on how impressed I've been on your improvement. It's phenomenal, and I couldn't be more proud of your growth. I certainly can't wait for the next couple of years." She smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "However, you need to have more confidence in yourself. You need to look at a challenge with your head held high and eyes brimming with determination. This stuff? This stuff is cake work. As we continue on with my curriculum, the course load will get even more intensive and demanding. If you look at the future with doubt in your eyes, you won't get far as a kunoichi."

Sakura looked into Tsunade's eye. She understood what Tsunade was trying to say, but she just couldn't do what she said. It was easier said than done.

"You care about that Uchiha brat, right?" Tsunade asked.

"His name is Sasuke-kun!" Sakura corrected almost autonomously.

"Right. You want to protect him, don't you?"

"Y-yes…"

"Well, if you want to protect him, you need to first better _yourself _as a person. You can't protect him if you're dead, right?" Tsunade said bluntly. Sakura nodded hesitantly. "You need to focus on your growth first, Sakura-chan. By focusing on you and you alone, you will undoubtedly become stronger than you ever thought you were. Sakura-chan, you are a strong girl. I see a lot of myself in you. Your resolve is just as strong as mine back when I was a genin, except there is one fundamental difference."

"What is that, Hokage-sama?"

"Your drive is far stronger than my own. You've got not one, but two people you wish to protect."

Sakura was confused at Tsunade's proclamation. She had two? Was someone as important in her life as Sasuke?

"I know you have a strong desire to protect Naruto-kun as well." Tsunade said. "It may not hit you at the moment, but Naruto-kun is someone precious to you, just like the Uchiha brat. Naruto-kun managed to worm his way into your heart, and you are holding him dear to you. You already know who your most valued comrades are. At your age, I did not share the same sentiments about my own teammates…"

Tsunade looked saddened as she admitted that fact. It was true. Jiraiya annoyed her to no bounds, and his perversion and socially unacceptable interests kept her from forming a serious bond with the Toad Sage. While they are good friends to this very day, they didn't have the same bond that Naruto and Sakura shared.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, was creepy and asocial, preferring to stick to himself instead of mingling with the rest of his teammates. He had a weird habit of reading scientific journals and ninjutsu scrolls, and often experimented on wildlife that were dying or were already dead. He had a senseless fascination with morality and was desensitized with the death of enemy shinobi altogether. Orochimaru discomforted her, and she was more than happy avoid contact with the snake Sannin. Tsunade was ashamed to see how that turned out. Often times, she wonder what could have been if she opened up a little more to her wayward partners.

Sakura had the chance to rectify all the mistakes Tsunade made in the past. Unlike Orochimaru, the Uchiha chose to stay in Konoha, more concerned with the wellbeing of his teammates than with the pursuit of power. If Sakura channeled her desire to protect Sasuke into a need to grow stronger, she undoubtedly would surpass even Tsunade. Tsunade, although having just met the girl only 2 weeks ago, had absolute faith that Sakura would be the one to pass on her legacy.

Tsunade chuckled, confusing Sakura a bit. It was funny, but Tsunade never thought about what she was going to leave behind for the future. Ever since Dan and Nawaki's deaths, she merely drowned away her sorrows, hoping that the Shinigami can one day come and snatch her away. Now, she was more than ever determined to protect the village her grandfather, sensei, brother, and lover all fought and died for. This time, she was not going to have regrets. So she was going to make sure Sakura lived her life with no regrets.

"Alright, I've said enough." Tsunade said. She proceeded to clap her hands, and the same two apprentices reentered the room, both of them holding cages. The first apprentice returned the healed cat to his cage, probably to be returned to the street. Shinobi, unless you were an Inuzuka, an Aburame, or Hatake Kakashi, did not have the time or luxury to take care of animals and pets. Pets belonged to civilians or retired shinobi who did not have to deal with life or death situations on a daily basis. Med-nin recommended pets only to active shinobi struggling with PTSD or other stress related mental disorders that inhibited combat abilities.

Once the cat was secured and sent off to whatever destiny awaited it, the second apprentice brought a small gerbil with a minor cut on its nose. The gerbil, irritated with the cut, was scratching on its cut. The gerbil did not know any better, but it was not helping its own chances by opening the small wound further.

"You know what to do, Sakura-chan." Tsunade said. Sakura nodded with a little more confidence, and turned to her new objective with renewed fire burning in her eyes. She wasn't going to let Tsunade down.

She wasn't going to let Naruto down.

She wasn't going to let Sasuke down.

Most importantly, she wasn't going to let _herself _down. Not anymore.

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_Ichiraku's Ramen, Konohagakure no Sato _

"One order of miso pork ramen, mega sized!" Naruto exclaimed, slamming his earnings on the table as hard as he could. Though Naruto claimed that saving Sasuke was his highest priority, the money for the "Sasuke Retrieval" Mission had finally came in, and was it a hefty sum. Tsunade had decided that, despite the mission being accomplished by a group of genin and a green chuunin, she would make this an S-rank mission. The damage that they have unknowingly dealt to Orochimaru's war efforts, as well as thwarting his plans for the Sharingan, easily gave leverage to the significance of the mission. When Naruto went to Tsunade's office to receive his paycheck, he swore he had never seen so much money before in his life.

Naruto wasn't the kind of person to splurge his earnings in a single day, in spite of his…healthy… appetite for ramen. Instead, he focused the majority of the day practicing the Rasengan with one hand. Training by himself was a lot more difficult than he had imagined. Every time he went training, there was either a sensei or Sasuke and Sakura around to help him uncover his flaws. Jiraiya was in the hospital, being treated for wounds that made even Naruto wince in horror. Kakashi was called out for another S-rank mission, merely two days after he returned from his last S-rank mission. Sasuke was still recovering from his broken arm, and he was doing his own individual training (to Naruto's irritation), and Sakura was undergoing an apprenticeship with the Hokage. Naruto was very jealous of Sakura at the moment; he never had the chance to go through with one on one training with Sarutobi Hiruzen while he was still alive.

Naruto expression went down at the thought of his Jiji-chan. He shouldn't have died during the invasion. He was supposed to be the strongest…

Regardless of Hiruzen's status, he still had to train alone. Unluckily, Naruto was absolutely confused as to what exactly he should do to learn the Rasengan one handed.

He decided that he should probably redo the training exercises that Jiraiya taught him. It seemed like it would be an obvious choice to start from the very beginning instead of creating your own training regimen.

So Naruto returned to Konoha. As he walked down the active streets, he managed to pass through Ichiraku's Ramen. His stomach coincidentally began to grumble and Naruto decided to indulge himself with a little lunch. Teuchi was rather startled at Naruto's brash slamming of his table. He must either be in a good mood, or extremely drunk. Teuchi convinced himself it was the former. Besides, Naruto didn't seem like the type of kid who'd drink. He was far too optimistic for those kinds of urges.

"Ah, the usual eh?" Ichiraku Teuchi asked Naruto. "You want 'em to keep on coming?"

"You already know, old man!" Naruto bellowed. "This time, I'll be paying on my own! No Iruka-sensei or Ero Sennin to help me out!"

Teuchi was proud of Naruto. He can finally do business on his own. He usually had to rely on others to pay for his ramen. He must have gotten a really good mission if he were able to pay on his own. He probably doesn't know how expensive his orders get, so he'll definitely need _that _wake up call.

And who exactly was this "Ero Sennin" character anyways?

It took about 5 to 7 minutes, but Teuchi served up the first of presumably 6 to 7 bowls. The bowl was massive. Probably 8 inches in diameter and a height of about 6 inches. But that was just the way Naruto loved it.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto shouted as he snapped his wooden chopsticks in two and dove straight into the food. Teuchi was used to the speed and precision in which Naruto grabbed his noodles and slipped them into his mouth, but it never ceased to amaze him just how exactly he does it. He dipped his pork into some soy sauce before devouring it whole, and moved onto to slurp all of his broth down in one gulp. It was as if ever time he ate ramen, he was eating for his very life.

Naruto held out his hand once he finished with the first batch. Instantaneously, there was another bowl, of a similar size within Naruto's palm. He mechanically began to devour this next batch of noodles.

"Wow kid, you sure know how to eat fast?!" A new voice said, interrupting the Zen that Naruto held as he methodically consumed his ramen. A tic mark appeared on Naruto's forehead. No one interrupted his ramen. No one.

"WHO THE FUCK DO YA THINK YA ARE, HUH PRICK?" Naruto shouted at the heathen. How dare he, this weird, masked man, disturb the tranquility of his ramen consumption? He worked on this for years, and not even Jiraiya tried to stop him when he began eating.

Then he took his time to observe the man's features. He had short, spiky black hair. His entire face was covered in a mask, with an eyehole on the right side of his face. The eyehole was the center of attention, as the mask's unique spirals swirled out of the hole. It seemed to invite people into wondering what lies underneath the mask.

The man wore the oddest shinobi attire. He had a long scarf covering his neck and a large obi covering his abdomen. He wore a thick long sleeve shirt with bolts down the sides of his clothing, something you don't normally see every day. Everything about this man just screamed weird.

"Geez Louise! Cut a guy some slack!" The man cried out. "I was just complimenting on your food eating habits!"

"Oh…uh…thanks, I guess?" Naruto said, continuing his slurping. In hindsight, he probably shouldn't have exploded in front of the stranger. That wasn't a way to make good first impressions, even for somebody as weird as he was.

"Forget about it, bro." The masked man. "You're like a living legend!"

"Bro? Excuse me, but have we met before? I don't recall allowing anyone to call me 'bro'…" Naruto grumbled.

"Pft, get that stick out of your ass. What are you, emo?" The masked man asked.

"That's it!" Naruto yelled as he launched himself at the masked man in a frenzied punch.

It happened so fast. Naruto could have sworn his fist made contact with the man's face. Yet, just as he was about to crack that stupid mask and make him regret saying stupid things to Naruto, his fist went right _through _the creepy masked man. He tumbled on himself, totally not expecting to go right through the man, and fell flat on his face. The masked man immediately turned his chair around and began to worry about the blonde jinchuuriki.

"Oh are you alright? Sorry, that kinda sorta happens every once in a while. And by every once in a while, I mean when lunatic blondes try to punch me to kingdom come for no apparent reason…"

Naruto lifted his index finger, pointing at the masked man. The finger was trembling uncontrollably, and Naruto's face went white.

"Y-you…you couldn't p-possibly be a g-g-g-g…" He stuttered.

"A g-g-g-g? Nope. I don't even know what such a thing is…"

Teuchi looked at the whole ordeal with a gaping mouth. He couldn't believe what just happened, either. He was too flabbergasted to even be angry at Naruto's blind rush into the potential consumer.

The masked man grabbed Naruto, snapping him out of his stupor long enough to stare into that eye hole. The man's had pupilless onyx eyes, sort of similar to Sasuke's. It really made Naruto want to see more of the face hidden behind his eyes.

"Kid. What is wrong with you? You coulda hurt yourself!" The masked man worried. "Here, let me pick you up." The man lifted Naruto and put him on a chair adjacent to the man himself. Naruto took the time to think about what just happened. The man _touched _him. There was no way a ghost could touch people. Not after all the movies he saw that featured ghosts and other scary monsters.

But how? How did Naruto go right through this man? Was he a half ghost Hanyou creature thing?

"Dude, stop staring at me like that. It's kinda weird and creepy…" The masked man told Naruto.

"Oh…right" He turned around and flushed. He wasn't even aware that he was staring at the masked man. He was so caught up with his thoughts to consider that.

Teuchi kindly brought Naruto's ramen to where he was now sitting. He was still wary of the masked man, who, because of the mask he could not see his expression, seemed to be smirking at Naruto's flops.

"So, like I said before. It's totally awesome to, like, meet a living legend!" The masked man told Naruto.

"Whatcha talking about?" Naruto asked. He was flattered at the praise, but he's done so much in the last couple of months that he wouldn't know what exactly the masked man was talking about.

"During the Chuunin Exams, man!" The masked man told Naruto. "Like your fight with that Neji jerk. Dude you were totally awesome there!

"Hehe, yeah I guess I was, wasn't I?" Naruto said, rubbing his index under his nose in "humility."

"Dude, it was totally epic when all that orange chakra, like, exploded out of you and you were, like, a bazillion times faster. It was crazy bro, sick!"

"And stronger too!" Naruto continued. "Did ya see that finishing uppercut? Prob' lifted him up like 4 feet in the air!"

"Yeah, that was the highlight man! The way you exploded out of the ground and nailed that Neji jerk in the chin was classic gold! I coulda sworn you were using a Doton technique!"

"Nope. All me." Naruto exclaimed proudly. He had to admit, even though Neji was so much more skilled then Naruto was, he used his quick wits and unwilling tenant to seize the moment. It was a victory well earned. His fight with Gaara, on the other hand, was much more of a show of his skill then the bout with Neji.

Naruto suddenly thought about his conversation with the masked man. He mentioned something about orange chakra. Did he know…?

"Hey," Naruto called, grabbing the masked man's attention. He was swerving his hands about wildly, reenacting the entire fight with Neji. "Ya mentioned my orange chakra. Ya know, right? And you don't hate me for it?"

"Orange chakra?" The masked man. "Orange chakra…orange chakra…orange…OH! You mean _that _orange chakra! Pfft." The masked man waved his hand back and forth, dismissing the whole concept entirely. "Yeah, so what? You. Blew. My. Mind! That was still an epic battle bro!"

"Really? Ya don't hate me for that?"

"Hate? Dude, I'm so jealous right now! I wish I had what you got. Kinda would make my life a bit easier." The man answered honestly.  
"Oh yeah? How so?"

"Let's just say it would make my job a helluva lot easier."

Naruto did not understand the hidden meaning behind the masked man's words. He just merely shrugged it aside, preferring to keep the conversation with the man going. It was always nice to meet someone that did not stigmatize him for the tenant he was holding within himself.

"Hey…that's a nice necklace you got there kid." The masked man observed. In order to prevent any potential broth from spilling on his jumpsuit, Naruto unzipped and removed the jumpsuit, leaving a black shirt with a cinnabar spiral at the center. Hanging proudly from his neck was Tsunade's necklace. She gave it to him after he managed to learn the Rasengan within the allotted time they betted for. It was a symbol for his ability to go above and beyond the expectations of everyone he met, though Naruto himself did not think of it as such. He liked the necklace because it had a mystical feel to it. It was simply enchanting.

"Hehe, thanks!" Naruto said, scratching the back of his head. He had a tendency to scratch the back of his head whenever he was overly praised and he did not know what to do about it. The masked man may have interrupted his ramen consumption, but he was quickly growing into an alright guy in Naruto's book.

"Hey…you mind if I, uh, touch it?"

"Touch it…HEY!" Naruto screamed. "You wouldn't happen to be a closet pervert, would you?! I don't roll in that direction!"

"Nonononono!" The man repeated, waving his hands over his face in denial. "Bro! I dig the chicks, man. That's not what I meant! I meant, like, you know, closely examine it and stuff like that. Yeah, that's it."

Naruto eyed the masked man up and down. Not for the first time did he wish he can see under the man's mask, to get a look at his facial features. Then he would have a grasp on the honesty of the guy's request. But the man's voice seemed rather sincere. Besides, he did not look to be a hostile, and he did not hate Naruto for harboring the Kyuubi in his navel. Naruto supposed he could trust the masked man.

"Alright I guess…" Naruto mumbled, removing the necklace and giving it to the masked man.

"YAY!" The masked man cried in glee. He removed the glove from his right hand, and for the first time, Naruto managed to get a look at the man's skin. It was so inhumanly pale and deathly white, almost as pale as Orochimaru's skin. There were strange wrinkles all over his hand, making Naruto wonder just how old the man was exactly. He sounded like he could be a teenager, but he was definitely as tall as Kakashi, so he couldn't possibly be Naruto's age. Just looking at the man's skin reaffirm everything that Naruto had originally thought about the masked stranger: He was a total creep and weirdo.

The small crystalloid necklace began to glow a pulsating green color when it made contact with the masked man's hands. Naruto watched in awe as the necklace shined brightly, something he never saw happen before. He thought it was amazing how the necklace could do that, and its cool factor went up several levels upon the fading of the radiance.

"Wow!" Naruto shouted in amazement. "Wow, I didn't know it could do that! That's so sweet!"

"Dude. This necklace glowed bro. THAT WAS AMAZING!" The masked man agreed. "You think I can hold on to it?"

"Hell no!" Naruto responded. "No, I won this necklace, it's mine!" Naruto snatched the necklace from the masked man's hands, and he put his head down in sadness. Naruto was tinkering with the necklace, trying to make it glow like the man did before him, but everything he tried failed to revitalize the radiant glow. "Well, this sucks…" Naruto grumbled in defeat. He moved the necklace over his head and it hanged proudly down his torso again. Naruto was rather frustrated that the necklace would not light up like it did with the masked man, but complaining about it would not benefit him in the slightest.

"Thanks man!" The masked man said, getting up from his seat. "Hey, Teuchi-san, one miso pork ramen to go please! Double XL, thanks!"

Teuchi blinked twice at the familiarity in which the masked man referred to him. He swore that he had never met anybody like the man before in his life, so why call him by his first name?

Teuchi thought about the man again. Now that he thought about it, his mannerisms reminded him of his first customer. He wanted to say he doesn't forget a customer, but it's been 14 years since he last opened Ichiraku's. He doesn't even remember the customer's face or name anymore, which disappointed him slightly.

Nevertheless, the man was a paying customer, as he brought out his wallet (with a stack of ryo that made both Naruto and Teuchi pop their eyes in amazement), and slid the proper price down the table to Teuchi's hand. His ramen was readied shortly afterwards, bagged up and brought to the man to go.

"Thanks, Teuchi-san!" He turned to Naruto, who just stared in wonder at the masked enigma. "Hey, Naruto-kun, you are the coolest kid I've seen man! Thanks for letting me look at your necklace!"

"No prob!" Naruto replied, grinning. "We should meet up again sometime!"

"Don't you worry your little orange self. We'll meet again. Someday." For a moment, The masked man's onyx iris transformed into a deep crimson, before changing back to its normal color. However, Naruto did not pick up this subtle hint, as he closed his eyes when he grinned at the masked man.

"Oh, by the way," Naruto asked before the masked man turned to walk away. "What's your name? You already know mine, but I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I'm gonna be Hokage one day, you better believe it!"

The masked man chuckled. "Yeah, I'll believe it." He scratched the back of his head, wondering how to introduce himself. "I go by many names." The masked man gave Naruto an eye smile that was reminiscent of Kakashi's typical eye smiles.

"But you can call me…Tobi."

* * *

_Uchiha Clan Compound, Konohagakure no Sato (Later that Night)_

Sasuke's eyes opened abruptly. He sensed a presence in the clan compound, and it did not bode well for the young avenger. His danger senses were ringing wildly. There was an intruder that was disturbing the sanctity of his clan's estate. Such blatant disrespect for his deceased family and friends could not be tolerated.

Quickly pulling on the cloak next to his bed, Sasuke dashed out of the bed. He learned how to sleep with his cast on, so he did not need to take his time to apply it on his rapidly healing arm. Besides, there was no time for such trivialities. The intruder needed to be dealt with, immediately.

He rushed outside of his family's home. The full moon was reflecting its lunar light radiantly across the Uchiha estate, lighting it in a serene glow that transcended the natural beauty of the compound. Running further in the estate, there was a small pond that elegantly mirrored the moon on the surface of the water. Ripples of water from the activity of the wildlife living in the pond gave the moon's reflection an eerie appearance to it that still somehow managed to look graceful and majestic. On the edge of the pond sat a sole man, with an outfit entirely dark in design. It was difficult to see the man with the limited light reflecting off the moon, but Sasuke had his three tomoe Sharingan spinning wildly, and the man was wearing a bright orange spiral mask that also reflected the lunar light well.

"You are trespassing on Uchiha territory." Sasuke told the man in an authoritarian voice. "State your business. What are you doing here?"

"Oh? I merely came back to see the sights and visit my family. Except, this place is entirely deserted and you are the only one remaining of my clan. You and your brother, of course."

Sasuke was stunned. What this man was implying… Could he possibly be…?

"Who…who are you…?" Sasuke asked, afraid of the answer that would come.

"I go by many names." The masked man told Sasuke as he stood and faced the genin. His single onyx eye morphed into a three tomoe, fully matured Sharingan that rotated wildly, enticing all to its gaze.

"But you can call me…Uchiha Madara."

* * *

**Sōzō Saisei - Creation Rebirth**

**Shōsen Jutsu - Mystical Palm Technique**

* * *

**Hey Y'all!**

**Guys, I apologize dreadfully for my lack of updates for this story. I suddenly came up with a burst of writer's inspiration, and I've been focusing on a new story _Phact Phantasia. _When I completed a week's worth of material, that was when I started work on this chapter. But then, something happened. I realized that I did not have the same fervor of writing like I did when I first started writing Fan Fiction. I actually expected to write at least three to four chapters, but I ended up writing one.**

**The first thing to do when a problem is facing your direction is to acknowledge the problem's existence. So, yes. I am currently undergoing what is known as "writer's block." Well, its not writer's block persay; when I sit down to write my works, everything comes out so fluently and without problem. But I've been suffering from a lack of motivation that comes from the sudden burst of inspiration dying down. I'm not totally unmotivated, but that means there are going to be schedule changes.**

_**True Paths to Power**_** and _Finding Conviction _will be released on a biweekly basis, as opposed to a weekly basis now. They will be in rotation. Which means that this week was _True Paths to Power, _but next week is _Finding Conviction. _It will be like that from here on in, even as I go back to the University. This was the planned University schedule, but I am going to have to go through with it now.**

_**Release from Pain **_**will be released from its painful state on a monthly basis now. At the end of each month, you can expect a release from your pains with an excellent read of _Release from Pain. _You should not expect a release from these painful puns. Only if you find me as a convict**.

**_Phact Phantasia _will be released on the First and Third Saturdays of every month, along with an update on my Speed running status (for those who may or may not be interested). I am looking forward to the next release next week.**

**Now, time for the story. Focused a little on Sakura's development. She's going to grow out of her shell and become a fine member of the party, no longer a nuisance and useless for anything. Now, I'm not gonna do the whole Kishimoto thing where she suddenly grows a seal and becomes as useful as Naruto and Sasuke after relatively little personal growth throughout the entire manga. While she will not be as powerful as Naruto and Sasuke, her growing skills and intellectual abilities will make her an invaluable part of Team 7. They will not function as well as they could without her assistance.**

**Naruto has met Tobi. Sasuke has met Madara. How exactly will these meetings affect them in the long run?**

**Update 8: 36 Favorites, 48 Reviews, 56 Follows, 2 Communities, and 4,861 Views! I get the feeling that next update will surpass 50 reviews and 5000 views! I'm looking forward to that! **

**Now time for the sole question.**

* * *

**Q: Are you going to do one for Sakura? (Refers to character development)**

**A: Yes. I will be developing the characters of all major characters in the story. That includes, but may not be limited to, Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Tobi/Madara, Kakashi, and my OC. Other characters will play a role in some form or another, but I am not like some authors who could switch perspectives around on a whim and focus on 17 different characters at once. So characters like Shikamaru and Ino will probably receive some development, but not as focused or well-detailed like the mains that I listed.**

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**Well, that's it for this week. See you again (hopefully) on the 25 of July!**

**-Blackrazgriz 7/11/2013 12:12PM EST**


	10. Masking the Truth

**Chapter 9: Masking the Truth**

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_Uchiha Clan Compound, Konohagakure no Sato_

Sasuke was staring into the face (er, mask) of despair. This man was so terrific that his name alone brought terror to the faces of the most fearless shinobi. This man fought with the Shodai Hokage in an epic battle, creating a new landmark in the process. This man was the most feared Uchiha to have ever existed. He was face to face with his ancestor, the one Uchiha all hated, and yet aspired to become.

And Sasuke could not believe for a second that the man was who he said he was.

"Quit joking around, you masked clown!" Sasuke said, activating his Sharingan. His danger senses were spiking uncontrollably, and Sasuke knew that he was in over his head if he had to engage this enemy. He could tell, just from looking at his posture, that this man was not to be trifled with. He exuded a dangerous aura, one that would cause lesser men to cringe.

Being a lesser man was not an option for Sasuke.

"Sasuke, you hurt your family." "Madara" said sarcastically. "I see that the Uchiha have fallen far lower than I originally thought. All of them are dead, and the only 'legitimate' member left in the clan cannot even recognize the most revered man the clan has ever produced. It's a sad day for the clan, indeed."

"No…No…No, I can't believe this!" Sasuke yelled to the stoic Uchiha. "No! You're not supposed to be here! You're-"

"Dead? Killed by Hashirama? Sasuke, do not delude yourself. I'm here, I'm alive. Is there anything that does matter?"

"But how? How did you-"

"Survive? Sasuke, you should know this by now, but we of the Uchiha are the very definition of _shinobi_. We endure." Madara answered, alluding to the actual definition of "shinobi." "How is it that I am alive is nothing I feel the need to reveal to you at the time being, however. I cannot trust a fledgling such as you with information regarding an assassination attempt from the foremost Hokage."

"No! You're a fraud!" Sasuke shouted. Emanating chakra on his right hand, Sasuke floated his hand over a seal on his pouch. In a puff of smoke, his gunbai uchiwa was ready in his hand, and Sasuke launched himself at the phony who called himself "Madara." Sasuke knew better; he knew he was a dead man walking when he attacked Madara. Madara was beyond the traditional ranks of Konoha shinobi. Madara had evolved his Sharingan into the Mangekyō, which already placed him leagues ahead of Sasuke. Records indicate that while he was still a shinobi of Konoha, He single-handedly defeated the Nidaime and future Sandaime Tsuchikage _without _using his Sharingan. There were stories passed on to the Uchiha children. Stories of how Madara would battle armies of the strongest shinobi and samurai were passed down from generations to generations, further engraving Madara's mark in history.

Sasuke knew he was outmatched so horrendously that only a mentally dysfunctional shinobi would have the audacity to look Madara in the eyes while his Sharingan was active. He knew this, and still he charged. He charged because the man had the audacity to _wear _his revered ancestor's name like it was some sort of cloak! This man…he was not Madara. Sasuke knew this. Madara _was _dead. He's been dead for almost a century!

Yet, when Madara took out his own gunbai uchiwa and used it to effortlessly deflect Sasuke's attack, Sasuke knew deep in his mind that, maybe, there was some semblance of truth behind the masked man's words. And with two flails of the legendary weapon, Sasuke was knocked backwards with the concussive force of a rampaging rhinoceros. Smashing against the nearest wall, Sasuke's body was not given a moment's respite when Madara's tanto was held at knifepoint over his jugular.

"You have much to learn on the basics of uchiwajutsu, Sasuke." Madara said, sheathing his tanto and resealing his uchiwa. "A practitioner of uchiwajutsu knows the imperfections of such a large weapon. One does not simply attack with an uchiwa without carrying forth a secondary weapon, such as a kusagari or, in my recent case, a tanto."

Sasuke did not know whether or not to be disgusted with the advice "Madara" was providing for him, or to earnestly accept it for improvement.

"Not only did you not carry a secondary weapon, you also completely misused the uchiwa. While it does have sharp steel edges, the uchiwa was meant for flailing away opponents and keeping a distance. The uchiwa was also designed to incorporate Fuuton chakra to further enhance waves and flails, much like the tessen. This can be further improved upon using Katon, which is the Uchiha's signature elemental manipulation. Sasuke, you may know of practical methods of storing such a large weapon, but you still have a long way to go before getting to my level of proficiency."

Madara got off of Sasuke and walked back to the pond. He proceeded to return his gaze at the luminous reflection of the moon in the pond's surface, simply mesmerized by the minute details that could scarcely be found. Sasuke just stared at his "ancestor" with a dumbfounded expression plastered on his face.

Sasuke thought about everything that Madara said. Madara could have easily ended his life right there and then, with the tanto held at his jugular. He was right. Although Sasuke was self-taught, he knew very little about uchiwajutsu to master the weapon. He only used it to exemplify the Uchiha insignia in his combat. Though it was far from a humbling experience (as his opponent did not bother to register him as a threat), the thorough defeat was most definitely an enlightening one. Which begged the question…

"Why are you here?!" Sasuke asked, trying to rid himself of these feelings on insecurity that was beginning to swell within himself.

"Now we are beginning to head towards a relevant direction, Sasuke." Madara said. "I've come to you because you have accessed the Naka Shrine."

Sasuke eyes shot up for a moment. How did he know that he entered the Nakano Shrine?

"You now know of the secrets of the Mangekyō." He continued. "The secrets that my brother and I discovered simultaneously with the death of our father." Could Madara really be telling the truth? Could he really be Madara? Only people who have read the tablet of the Nakano Shrine know of how he and his brother obtained the Mangekyō. "Yet, you yourself do not know how to access that source of grief. The grief that gives birth to hatred. That is what you seek, but that is what you cannot find. Rather, you refuse to find."

Sasuke stood silent, but with each sentence Madara uttered, Sasuke could only cringe in the inside. The man knew Sasuke's inner thoughts well. He knew his fears, he knew his faults. Madara most likely knew about his desire for vengeance against his brother, the one man he despised more than anything.

"You are beginning to value the friendship of your comrades. Naruto, the brash and impulsive runt, has wormed his way into your heart, cleansing you of most of the hatred you harbored towards everyone and everything. The girl, who is loyal to a fault, demonstrated herself enough to have earned your respect as a kunoichi. These companions have changed your perspective on people, and changed what you thought of the world."

Now, Sasuke couldn't help but be visibly shaken by Madara's words. He knew everything about his teammates. Is there anything that Madara did not know about Sasuke?

Madara, on the other hand, smirked beneath his mask. He was playing Sasuke like a fiddle. His eccentric spy was an extraordinary sensor, capable of dispersing her chakra amongst the very air molecules that surround us all. With intensive concentration, she could track the movements and chakra signatures of anyone she desired within a 250 mile radius. The lesser the mileage, the more proficient she was at tracking, and at 10 miles she can easily maneuver, perform complex jutsu, and combat while tracking simultaneously. Within the last week, Madara had her infiltrate Konohagakure, using a false visa from Amegakure, for more in depth surveillance. With her prowess in sensory, she was able to locate and gather information on Sasuke's team, as well as every person Sasuke was able to make meaningful contact with. From her, he knew that Sasuke accessed the Nakano Shrine and discovered the secrets of the Mangekyō.

Now, all Madara needed to do was wave power over his head. Orochimaru tried this before, but he failed utterly. The power he offered was nothing more than a cheap upgrade, one that steadily diminished the mental process of the user, binding them to the will of the snake. Madara offered genuine power. Power that Sasuke can use for himself to decided his own fate. But ultimately Sasuke would stray into Madara's light. All who unlocks the Mangekyō can only see what is wrong in the world, after all. And Madara offered a way to remedy the situation. Once he killed Itachi with the power he will gain, Sasuke will join him.

"I am certain you already know this, but Itachi has full mastery of the Mangekyō." Madara said.

Sasuke's eyes now began to twitch uncontrollably. He _did _know about his brother. He knew so much, and was beginning to unnerve the usually stoic Uchiha.

"How do you know who I am? How do you know Itachi?!" Sasuke asked. If this man was who he said he was, than he abandoned the village almost a century ago. Surely he wouldn't-

"You must be thinking how could I possible know who you are if I've been away from the village for quite some time." Madara asked Sasuke, seemingly like a mind reader. "I'm not a mind reader, Sasuke. The expressions on your face are easy to read, especially with the all perceiving eye of the Sharingan. Masks are a useful tool, not only to hide one's own identity, but also to prevent others from knowing what you are feeling. That is why I decided to wear masks a while back. Emotions are a detriment in the heat of battle. They could only get you killed, no matter how just or benign." Sasuke did not have the attuned ears of a skilled shinobi, so he missed the slight wince of Madara's voice as he began to talk about emotions.

"As to how exactly I know who you are, let's just say I have eyes and ears in the village. All villages, in fact. A shinobi must be able to have contingencies for any and all dilemmas. Especially if my own plans were to falter, unlikely as that may be."

Sasuke broke into a sweat. 'Shit! I really need to stop giving myself off like this!' He thought, realizing that his subconscious breaking of a sweat was caught by Madara's relentless eye.

He found himself in an unfortunate predicament. Ever since the Sound Five incident, Sasuke was hounded day and night by different two-man cells of ANBU. Tsunade did not want Orochimaru to attempt to kidnap Sasuke again. He already demonstrated the ability to penetrate deep into Konoha numerous times during the Chuunin Exams, so, despite Konoha's buffed security system in the aftermath of the Sound Five incident, Sasuke was always in constant surveillance. Speaking of which-

"I already took care of the ANBU agents assigned with guarding you. There is no one here that will be eavesdropping in our conversation."

Damn. The more Sasuke talks with this "Madara" character, the more he desires to believe his claim.

So, aside from the fact that the ANBU agents dispatched for guard duty are now most likely KIA, Sasuke is constantly being monitored by a cell of the finest shinobi in Tsunade's arsenal. But now he has knowledge of a new…entity… that is keeping close eye on him. One that he cannot detect whatsoever. Sasuke has managed to detect the ANBU on several occasions, following some blunders and mishaps on their end. But Sasuke has been all in the dark about the "thing" that Madara has dispatched on him. Hell, he could have been spying on him since he was born.

The thought frightened him. If an unknown assailant was always spying on him, there was a possibility that his progress could be reported back to Itachi. He would have grown stronger for no reason if Itachi know the exact level of his strength. This was all beginning to fall backwards on him.

"And as to how I know Itachi...Itachi sought me out for power. He was the only man to ever deduce that I was not killed at the Battle of the Valley of the End all those years ago. He truly is a successor to my will…"

"Stop talking about _that man_ as if he was good!" Sasuke screamed. "You know nothing of what he did!"

"On the contrary, Sasuke." Madara said. "He sought me to acquire the power needed to annihilate the Uchiha Clan. I know of his deeds."

"You…you…YOU BASTARD!" Sasuke shouted. He recognized the implication. If Itachi went to Madara for power, then that meant that Madara held an indirect responsibility for the deaths of his family and friends. No, now he couldn't tolerate it anymore. With another enemy of his in his face, he needed to do anything he could to kill Madara. Or die trying.

What Sasuke wasn't expecting was for Madara to _warp _in front of him. In speeds that made a mockery of Lee's agility, Madara was face to face with the now startled Uchiha heir. Lifting him up by the collar of his shirt, Madara proceeded to smash him through the wall of the house. Sasuke cried out in agony as a shooting pain ran up his spine, before he was slammed into the wall yet again. He broke through the concrete wall and landed in the room adjacent to it.

Madara slowly walked through the debris of the wall, once again grabbing Sasuke by the collar. He lifted him skyward, making sure he was high enough to make contact with his eyes. Sasuke's Sharingan dissipated, the pain from all the breakthroughs finally reducing his concentration and disturbing the flow of chakra into his eyes. Strangely enough, Sasuke's onyx eyes did not meet crimson red, but a reminiscent onyx. Madara did not have his Sharingan on at the moment.

"You know nothing, Sasuke." Madara said. He proceeded to lightly punch Sasuke on the cast. Sasuke, who was still recovering from the fracture, howled horribly at the torture Madara was imposing on him, helpless to do anything against his overwhelming might.

"The Uchiha were once a proud Clan, one that did not fear death and one that shook the very foundations of our world. When I led them, we triumphantly charged into our foes, killing all who dared opposed us. Only the Senju, our hated brothers-in-arms, could dare challenge us and our might. We were a clan to be reckoned with, and no one questioned us."

"All that changed, however, when Hashirama and I cofounded Konohagakure no Sato. Instead of making me the Shodai Hokage, Hashirama was chosen, if only to appeal to the masses of incoming clans and shinobi, flocking to our ideal of coexistence and cooperation. I knew that, if Hashirama were chosen as the Shodai, Tobirama would succeed his brother as the Nidaime. Once that were to have occurred, our Clan would be doomed for annihilation. So I ordered our clan to leave the village."

"Instead of following my stead, my own people ridiculed me! They laughed at my 'paranoia' and told me that I sought the path of violence. They were content with the 'peace' they had acquired as a result of the founding of Konoha, and they were not about to give it up. Those idealistic fools. The rest, as you know, is history."

The rest was history. Tobirama did become the Nidaime. He did isolate the Uchiha, preventing them from obtaining any occupation other than that of the Konoha Military Police. They became discontent at the isolation, shelving in their complaints as they were layered with more and more tasks. Other clans did not trust them, and they grew a mutual hatred towards many of the existing clans.

"However, to say that they deserved complete and utter annihilation is another matter. Although I am an advocate of suppression and totalitarianism, I do not condone senseless genocide. My people, as foolish as they were, did not deserve to die."

"Then why?!" Sasuke shouted defiantly. "Why did you help _him? _Why did you give him the power to kill off our family?"

"Because he was given no other choice, Sasuke." Madara said.

With those words, Sasuke's world turned upside down. It was already hectic as it was, with his supposedly long-dead ancestor talking to him, but this concept was foreign to him. It could not register.

_Because he was given no other choice._

_ Because he was given no other choice._

_ Because he was GIVEN no other CHOICE._

"No. Lies. The lot of it. It's all lies. Itachi is a psychopath. He's a sociopath. He's a cruel, heartless, conniving, bloodthirsty, malicious, apathetic, megalomaniac! He killed them all to satisfy a fucking WHIM! He said so himself! Why would he be given a choice?! Who would give him a choice?!"

It was then that Madara started to laugh. It was a chuckle that mocked Sasuke's lack of knowledge on the situation at hand. It was cold and condescending, ridiculing everything that Sasuke sought after for his entire life. His laugh irked Sasuke to no ends.

"You truly know nothing, Sasuke. Do you think that your beloved brother would have honestly changed his entire demeanor around because of some innate, carnal desire for power? Surely, you of all people knew he was a pacifist, was he not?"

Sasuke blinked. Itachi _was _a pacifist. He believed in fighting only for self-defensive purposes, and only grew stronger to defend his family and village. The ones he ultimately scorned with the massacre of his entire family.

Suddenly, Sasuke was thrust back into the real world. Sasuke panted heavily, sweated profusely, and took into account his surroundings. He never left his position at the wall, when he was flung by Madara's uchiwa. His back was not screaming in intense pain from the brutal slams, and his arm di not cry in agony from Madara's punches. 'Damn…I was in a genjutsu all this time! But how?!' Sasuke thought.

"You were caught when you looked into my eyes, lost in your rage." Madara explained. "I had already told you that emotions made shinobi weak, yet you still succumb to your childish tantrums. You could never hope to defeat your brother if you give into your flimsy, unreliable emotions." Madara's tone was…soft? His implications were certainly harsh, was evident by the words he used to describe Sasuke's state of mind. But he sounded…as though he was lecturing Sasuke. Similar to when he discussed the faults of uchiwajutsu after getting handled easily. It seemed to be that…

"That I am trying to teach you, Sasuke?" Madara completed his thoughts. Sasuke, after the numerous occasions in which he was read, had grown accustomed to Madara's inquiry. He just needed to learn how to mask his emotions better. That was what Madara was trying to teach him throughout this meeting. He _was _trying to mentor the young Uchiha, in spite of his rather aggressive methods. "You may or may not be correct in that. Regardless, I've accomplished what I need to do."

"Sasuke, you will seek me out. If not for the Mangekyō, you will find me for the _truth_. The truth of what occurred that night, 5 years ago. If you do desire to find me, my spy will be watching you perform in the coming Chuunin Exams. You'll rendezvous with her, and she will provide you with information on how to call for me. She'll be stationed with your teammates when the Final part of the exam commences. Do not disappoint me, Sasuke."

Madara turned to walk away. But before he left, Madara turned his orange mask around to face Sasuke. "One last thing. You will not mention any of this to your teammates, or to your sensei. I will know that you did, and I will deal with your dishonor accordingly. Do not test me, Uchiha Sasuke, for I have not shown you the limits of my power."

He walked back into the pond, and gazed at the moon's reflection. "Do you ever wonder," He began, as if talking to no one in particular. "What we all look like…from the Eye of the Moon?" He stared into Sasuke's eye for a moment before his Sharingan morphed into his Mangekyō.

Sasuke stood still as he saw Madara disappear into a vortex of space-time distortion. As he disappeared, Sasuke saw for himself Madara's Mangekyō. It was…it was similar to Kakashi's when he used Kamui to vanish the leaf. He found it odd that Itachi's Mangekyō (or what he remembered of it, from the moment he was pulled into Itachi's Tsukuyomi) was so different from Kakashi's Mangekyō, yet Madara's and Kakashi's were reminiscent of each other. Of course, Sasuke did not have enough information at this moment to make any conclusions, but this was definitely something to note for the future.

Madara's implied threat loomed over Sasuke's shoulders as he walked slowly back to his room. Certainly, Madara had the means of keeping his word, especially if he has the ability to freely enter Konoha at any given time, despite the barrier surrounding Konoha that warded off unwelcomed visitors. And Madara was also powerful enough to catch Sasuke within a genjutsu, even with his fully matured Sharingan active. Yet, according to the tablet in Naka Shrine, Madara had access to Tsukuyomi as well. If he had such a powerful genjutsu at his disposal, why did he not use it on Sasuke in the first place?

Sasuke was well aware of the blindness that overuse of the Mangekyō can cause. Yet, it would not have been difficult to capture Sasuke in Tsukuyomi and explain everything from there. There was no need to dispatch the patrolling ANBU for a simple meeting as this, was there?

The more he thought about it, the more his head ached from the lingering headache of the genjutsu. So many things occurred tonight, it was hard for Sasuke to get a perspective of it all. The most prevailing thought on his mind was the words that Madara uttered.

_Because he was given no other choice._

This implied that Itachi was…was _commanded_ to massacre the Uchiha Clan. No. Sasuke still refused to believe that statement. After all, it could have been a ploy by Madara to unnerve the young Uchiha. Yet, if he did not believe that statement, why did he believe Madara when he said he gave Itachi the "power" to kill of his clan? Maybe it was because Sasuke could not believe for a second that Itachi could single-handedly kill of the entire clan virtually unscathed? If Sasuke were to believe in that, then he must concede that Madara did speak some truth. This meant that Sasuke could not write off everything that was spoken that night as mere falsehoods. He certainly would take it with a grain of salt, but it would be foolhardy to outright deny his words.

Sasuke wanted to speak to the Godaime about this. He could do so discreetly, so that Madara would not find out. But he did not want to risk it. Madara knew so much about Sasuke, apparently from the unknown assailant who was most likely keeping watch of him at this very moment in time. That person even knew that Sasuke had accessed the Naka Shrine tablet, which was supposed to be protected by a chakra seal that granted access to Uchiha and guests only. There was no place safe for him to be at without risking…whatever it was that Madara had threatened. Most likely his teammates, as he knew how precious they were to him now.

Besides, most likely the Godaime would have no knowledge of what occurred in the Uchiha Massacre. The selfish slug princess was absent from Konoha during that time, apparently to mope over her long dead loved ones. Ultimately, the only person that would have known was the Sandaime, but he was killed in action by Orochimaru.

Sasuke shivered at that thought. He couldn't believe that he was actually considering going to Orochimaru at one point in his genin career. The power of the Curse Seal was tempting indeed, especially the first time he accessed its power. Now, more than ever, he realized the faults with his "logic." He did not need that power when his Sharingan was powerful enough as it was. Madara demonstrated the power of the Mangekyō with his ease at manipulating space-time. Even in the genjutsu, the way he warped and the speed that he travelled convinced Sasuke that the Mangekyō was far more attractive than the Curse Seal.

Alas, Madara confirmed the fears he had accumulated for the last couple of weeks. In order to awaken the Mangekyō, one must feel emotions so heavy that only the grief that accompanies the death of a loved one can compare. Just thinking about Sakura or Naruto dying…Sasuke couldn't actually think about it. It was impossible for him to think about it. They really have warmed their ways into his heart and for him to try and kill them was clearly incomprehensible.

No matter how Sasuke looked at the circumstances, all the paths pointed to the same end.

In the next Chuunin Exams, he will have to rendezvous with the spy.

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_Hokage Tower, Konohagakure no Sato (The Next Day)_

"You called Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked, reading his familiar _Make-Out Paradise_ with a perverted grin on his face. Kakashi was the type of man who was to be feared when he got serious, but one could not stop him from engaging in his pastimes. He commanded a sort of authority on that topic, one that not even the Sandaime (who was, himself, an avid fan of the series by Jiraiya) could break. Although Tsunade was irked that he had the audacity to read such blatant disrespect of the female stereotype, she knew that removing that factor from him would severely decline his work ethic. She could not have that, not one bit.

"Yes Hatake-san." Tsunade said. "Please, be seated."

Kakashi did as he was told, without removing his eyes from the book. Tsunade's frustrations only increased when Kakashi moaned out a giggle.

"Now then, you must be wondering why I am calling you today." Tsunade began.

"Must be another S-rank mission." Kakashi guessed apathetically. "You really love keeping me away from my cute little students, now do you?"

"Now, now Hatake-san. As much as I do enjoy forcibly ripping you apart from your students, I am not assigning you a S-rank mission today."

"Uh huh." Kakashi said uncaringly as he turned a page. Tsunade saw his eye shoot upwards as a trail of blood leaked from his nose. She cleared her throat, to which Kakashi subsequently wiped his nose.

"On the other hand, I am assigning you to stay with your students. Of course, while Sakura is under my apprenticeship, all responsibilities of her wellbeing fall under me, so you do not need to worry about her. I'm more concerned about the Uchiha."

"Oh?" Kakashi asked, feigning interest. "Why is that the case, Hokage-sama?"

"Last evening, the ANBU patrol assigned guard duty for the Uchiha was attacked."

That elicited a response from Kakashi. Although he did not stop reading his beloved book, his hand jumped slightly in surprise.

"There were no visual signs of a confrontation, such as bruises, cuts and lacerations." Tsunade continued. "However, when they arrived at Hokage Tower early this morning for retasking, chakra sensors detected lingering abnormalities in their chakra in their signatures. A sign for genjutsu, in other words."

"Yes." Kakashi said solemnly, suddenly interested in the conversation. "So it was a genjutsu attack?"

"It was Hatake-san. However, it wasn't just any sort of genjutsu. The abnormalities were strong around the eyes, and grew weaker and weaker as you detected lower on the body."

Kakashi dropped his book.

"Sharingan genjutsu…" Kakashi said, understanding the implications.

"That's correct, Kakashi. The ANBU were caught in a Sharingan genjutsu. We had a Yamanaka ANBU analyze the ANBU agents' minds, and we could not get a visual on their assailant. Apparently the genjutsu was designed to redesign the memory so that the assailant would not be discovered. The assailant knew that redesigning memory was more efficient at covering their tracks rather than complete erasure."

"Right, because memories cannot truly be erased in that sense of the word." Kakashi responded. "All memories are stored in the long term and can be accessed through recollection."

"That's correct." Tsunade said. "Whereas 'erased' memory can be retrieved, redesigned memory cannot be altered back to its original format, especially if it has been altered so thoroughly that reconfiguration is an impossibility."

"Do you think that Sasuke could have done it?"

"No." Tsunade said, resting his worries. "Of course, protocol demands that I ask you if you committed the deed, As you are the only other man in the village with a Sharingan."

"No, I did not. I have an alibi for my position last evening."

"Very well then. I expect you to process that alibi at a later time. To be honest, I knew you couldn't have done it. It just this whole bureaucratic method is such a pain in the ass. Honestly, why did grandpa mandate that only strong shinobi that the previous Hokage recommend is eligible for the damned seat?"

"Now you know why I don't want the job." Kakashi chuckled.

"Let's get back on topic. Only a skilled Sharingan user could utilize a genjutsu of that caliber. Sasuke, who has barely awoken his matured Sharingan several weeks ago, is not capable of using genjutsu on that level. Not to mention he has a confirmed alibi that evening. Which only leaves one possible suspect."

"Itachi." Kakashi said, confirming Tsunade's suspicions.

Tsunade nodded. "We don't know exactly what Itachi would want with his little brother, and Sasuke claims that there was no meeting between him and anyone else during the evening. However, ANBU patrols have been compromised now that the enemy has demonstrated proficiency with genjutsu capable of bypassing the anti-genjutsu seals of the ANBU's mask."

Kakashi nodded. Yes, Tsukuyomi could easily breakthrough any guard that one would impose against genjutsu. But Itachi was also a natural prodigy when it came to Sharingan genjutsu. Upon eye contact, there was always a 100% chance of being caught in one of his genjutsu.

"And we know that Itachi, who is a part of Akatsuki, has intentions of kidnapping Naruto. Now that he's demonstrated the ability of bypassing the barrier multiple times, ANBU cannot be relied on for Naruto and Sasuke's protection. That is why I am ordering you to continue protection of the boys at all times."

"Surely you can't mean that-"

"I do, and I've already signed the bill. Effective following a week after Sasuke's complete recovery, and lasting until Naruto has competed in the Chuunin Exam, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hatake Kakashi will be placed in the Chuunin Corps barracks. Restrictions will be lax as to the material you will be teaching them, as Jiraiya recommended, so you can proceed to teach them Elemental Manipulation. You will also be required to teach counter-genjutsu methods with the two genin, and you and Sasuke will improve your counter-Sharingan defenses. Do you understand the mission parameters, Hatake-san?"

"Affirmative, Hokage-sama."

"Very well then. Remember, you have approximately five weeks to prepare for the Chuunin Corps, so take your time and enjoy Konoha while it lasts. I will see you again in several months, Hatake-san."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

"If that is all, then you are dismissed. Good luck with your mission."

Kakashi bowed and walked away from the office. Now, a new chapter in his life was about to open. He was to go more in-depth with his elemental training for Sasuke, but he was to begin elemental manipulation with the blonde. He was wondering whether or not to incorporate Kage Bunshin training for Naruto, but it may be too early for the young boy. Then again, with Itachi after both Sasuke AND Naruto's life, worrying about potential setbacks was a liability for their training. Kakashi needed to get serious about their training, and as such Naruto needed to catch up with Sasuke in terms of his curriculum.

Kakashi sighed. Life would never allow him to peacefully read his beloved _Make-Out Paradise. _But this was no longer the time to dillydally. He needed to protect the legacies that his sensei AND his best friends died for.

* * *

**Hey Y'all!**

**Welcome to the Ninth chapter of _True Paths to Power. _This chapter was a practical rewrite.**

**Before I continue, I immediately submitted this without revision. I apologize for any potential slip ups you may notice, and I will be update this chapter periodically with corrections and the like.**

**I was not satisfied with how it was going about so I decided to scrap most of it and write it basically anew. Of course, since I had a deadline, I wrote 3500 words today, in less then 4 hours, taking breaks here and there. This finished product is more to my liking, but I am unsatisfied slightly with how it ended. Actually, I am quite surprised at myself with the results. Even I wasn't expecting to place Naruto and Sasuke in the Chuunin Corps. The thought did not cross my mind until now, and I am suddenly curious about how things are going to go.**

**Few things. The place where Sasuke is going to meet my OC has changed. It originally was going to be post-Chuunin Exams, but now its going to be during the Chuunin Exams. It was at that time that you will discover the name of my OC, but I have decided to reveal it a little earlier, with the events now in place for something else to occur. What, pray tell, will be occuring? Well, you have to wait until next chapter to find out.**

**Also, I never expected Madara to reveal that much information regarding the Uchiha Massacre. I did not have him reveal the full truth so that Sasuke can actually be interested in seeking out Madara in the future.**

**Also, Sasuke is very intelligent. With insight, he figured out that Madara's Mangekyou was very similar to that of Kakashi's. If he had more information, he could possible make a deduction on the similarities...**

**But alas, Sasuke has very little information on the Mangekyou, other than what the tablet described, what Itachi used, and what Kakashi and Madara demonstrated.**

**Yes, Sasuke does get into fits of rages in this story. Why? He's impatient beyond all living fucks, and wants things to be done as soon as possible. He gets irritated when things do not travel at the pace he is travelling, which leads him to do stupid things. Like (SPOILERS FOR THE OFFICIAL MANGA) Minato said in chapter 639: "Sasuke-kun...He's a skilled boy." Alas, skill doesn't necessarily mean situational insight.**

**Sasuke is going to learn how to control his rage in due time. Once that happens, he can be a fully functioning shinobi with information processing abilities almost on par with that of Shikamaru (not on par, since Shikamaru can process information AND find effective countermeasures simultaneously without losing any efficiency whatsoever). Then and only then will he finally begin to sprout as the "prodigy" that they always called him out to be.**

**Update 9 stats: 39 Favorites, 49 Reviews, 56 Follows, 2 Communities, and 5,810 views! Almost one thousand views since two weeks ago! Sweet guys, you all rock!**

**No questions for this week, but I will be responding to a comment by Imsabbel**

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**Imsabbel: Okay, this is boring.**  
**Seriously.**

**I expected a nice "want of a nail" with Sasuke staying in Konoha. Instead, we get a mindless "godlike!Naturo" wank.**

**Seriously, he just got power spoon-feed up his ass in this fic. No drawbacks, no effort on his side. Its like 3 weeks after the chuunin exam and he is magically stronger than post timeskip in canon.**

**Blackrazgriz: I will not argue with your opinion. If you find this boring, than you find this boring. We can't please 'em all now can we?**

**However, I will argue against the whole "godlike!Naruto" spiel. This is not godlike Naruto. Hell, Naruto only went up to one-tails in this story. If one-tails Naruto is godlike to you, I can't imagine what Nagato, or Nine Tails Chakra Cloak, or Ten-Tails Obito would be like.**

**As for no repercussions, my fic is assuming that the shortening of Naruto's lifespan, etc. is determinant on the amount of Kyuubi influence on the chakra he provides to Naruto. Naruto accessed the Kyuubi chakra from a neutral pool that the Kyuubi set aside for him in Chapter 6. This chakra does not have the Kyuubi's direct influence, and thus does not have any of the negative repercussions that you must think.**

**Three weeks following the Chuunin exam? No, this occurred about one to two months after the Chuunin exam. And I may end up agreeing with you on the point of him being stronger than post time skip Naruto. How many techniques did Naruto learn during his time with Jiraiya? Did he actually learn to take control of the Kyuubi chakra? Rasen Chō Tarengan is not a technique he learned during his time with Jiraiya. It's a simple combination of Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and Rasengan. Where's the genius there? Especially considering that Kage Bunshin can already use jutsu.**

**Ōdama Rasengan may seem like a technique that is relatively easy to do. It's just a bigger Rasengan. However, Naruto needs to learn how to compress chakra into larger form, which is not as simple as anyone can think. So while my Naruto can use Rasen Chō Tarengan , he cannot use Ōdama Rasengan since he has yet to learn how to compress chakra into larger shapes. Besides, Naruto can only use Rasen Chō Tarengan while under the influence of the reserve pool of Kyuubi chakra, not by himself. Similar to how canon Naruto can only use Rasen Chō Tarengan while under Sage Mode.**

**Also, its a RESERVE pool of chakra. It's limited, and Naruto used a large portion of it during his battle with Jiraiya. It is not inexhaustible, like receiving it from the Kyuubi himself.**

**All in all, Naruto wasn't an actual powerhouse upon arriving from the time skip. And because my Naruto and Kyuubi came into a mutual agreement following Sasuke's rescue, he was already leagues ahead of canon post timeskip Naruto. My Naruto had a more serene state of mind because he was not clouded with ambition (for returning Sasuke back to Konoha) and will therefore not use the Kyuubi's chakra fleetingly.**

**I did not make Naruto into a god in this story, nor do I have any plans to.**

**Sasuke will be focused on more as the story progress. But this is a Sasuke AND Team Seven story. It will revolve around Sasuke AND Team Seven, with Sasuke being the primary focus, not just Sasuke.**

* * *

**Of course, I made sure to politely thank him for staying with me until this point, but I could not just simply stand idly by while he misleads potential viewers with accusations of "godlike!Naruto." Besides, I hope that this may promote some discussion on the Narutoverse logic that I use in my story.**

**Once again, next Thursday will be _Finding Conviction__. _At the end of this month, I will release _Release from Pain. _Hope you guys enjoy yourselves until the next release!**

**-Blackrazgriz 7/25/2013 4:13PM EST**

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**NOTE (7/25/2013 4:41PM EST): I totally forgot to discuss Madara's mind reading. No, its not an ability that the Sharingan grants to the user. And no, Madara cannot read minds. Using the predictive capabilities of the Sharingan, the user can detect subtle muscle movements of the face indicate unnerve, happiness, sadness, anxiety, anger, and other emotions. With an analytical mind, one can therefore deduce what one is thinking based of the emotions that the face betrays. Sasuke was not attempting to mask his emotions, and therefore got read like a book. However, a shinobi who can mask their emotions or even create convincing expressions can trick a Sharingan user as to what his thoughts are. Of course, the key to this is an analytical mind. If your mind cannot think underneath the underneath, then you cannot read minds based on facial expressions.**


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